Well, if the question is "how does mind affect the body", if we determine that the mind is a function of the brain, that function is how the mind affects the body.

Yet you manage to distinguish between dreams and what is real. Sure, we've all felt this way. As far as I can tell, we spend a good portion of our lives asleep. That time is just as important as our waking time.

But I'm not sure how this calls into question issues about answering questions. What it means to answer a question depends on the question. If I ask "what color is the sky" you would not tell me the answer to some math problem.

Why is defining mind and brain so difficult? The brain is a physical organ of the body. The mind represents our thoughts, emotions and memories.

If you are satisfied with that, then we are far, far apart from one another. You are travelling from New York to Paris, where you will enjoy your summer of contentment and peace. And I am just leaving the Continent for the arctic wastes, to chase after my own demons, my own monsters. Judge for yourself who has the better lot.

Yet if this does not mean much to you, then what about love? Imagine, Didymos, the most beautiful girl you've ever seen, for you must still remember her to this very day, or she could not have been all that beautiful. What if, during the time when she was still in your life, you heard rumors that she had a crush on you. Would you not try and see whether the rumors were true? And if no one would confirm them, would you not go to the girl herself and look into her eyes as she spoke to you, to see what was really in those eyes? And if you could tell nothing from her eyes, would you not--despite your ignorance of her true feelings--take a leap of faith and ask her to go out with you?

Yet what if, in your youthful timidity and arrogance, you were content merely with the possibility that she liked you, were enamored only with the reputation that her alleged affection conferred upon you--and so you did not inquire about the rumors, did not look into her eyes, did not ask her out? And what if--amazingly enough--she was the one who spread the rumors in the first place, since she was too modest to tell you herself how much she liked you? If she knew that you heard the rumors and did nothing, would she think that you had any serious feelings for her? And if she possessed any self-respect or self-awareness--if she had any knowledge of her extraordinary beauty--would she think that you were worthy of her?

So I ask you, Didymos: do you love enough to clutch every grain of your existence tightly in your palm forever, or do you take life so lightly that you let it slip through your fingers? Are you content merely to have the appearance of whatever it is you desire? Or do you strive every day to know that you really do have what you want more than anything? If you're not willing to find out whether you really possess the Truth--even if it requires you to amputate every belief that you have ever entertained; even if it requires you to sacrifice your earthly all for science, or to drown yourself in doubt and darkness before ever rising into the light of certainty--then you are unworthy of the Truth. And so am I.

What's the problem? I'm not sure what you mean by the Truth, or what the Truth has to do with attractive women, but I have even less of a clue what any of the above has to do with defining "mind" and "brain".

lol There's no problem.

Say, Didymos, why don't we fulfill all righteousness and have a drink together? It's on me, for surely you must know that alcohol is most conducive to philosophy. Anyone who tells you otherwise is a fool and a sluggard.

In the past it has, and even the present...(hope not the far future)

I'm sure you can see in what way's your statment is incorrect, and in which way's it is correct, yet i insure you that people that pride them self's for not doing what other's do, would highly disagree with such a comment.... And most likely find it to be full of ignorance.

__________________
For it is what it is, for that is what I say it is, therefore making it what it is, and thats what I say it is, and therefore I made it what it is

Our thoughts are the most powerful force in the world, for they are Mind in motion, Mind and God are the same thing. What I see out there in the material world is a reflection of Mind (God) in motion, we live in a mirror imaged universe. as we awaken from the dream, we will know who we are and be able create our daily lives as one with the God within.
Joey Korne wrote a book on dousing (devining for water and such)using a pendulem and dousing rods, he could change the flow of streams at will, using these devises. Richardgrant

I know this is late but...the fact that you must hold the string allows for the unconscious to manipulate the result. Try this...in a calm room, light a candle. Allow the candle to burn high. Focus your thoughts on the flame and try to make it burn toward the Left, then Right, then Flicker. This is a real test and, yes, you can.

I am new here yet have a lifetime of symbiotic evolution to share...I hope to figure out how the site works soon and to find very little judgement such as "No0ne" posted. Whether alcohol does or does not stimulate for you, dear, it is not yours to judge another's reality. I begin here (for now, the words "Truth" and "Reality" will be synonymous)...

Within all is Oneness, within Oneness All
Without is a being at OUR beck and call
Each step is a Yoga, a lesson to learn
And so may we grow as we yowl and we yearn

Life is pain, it is growth, it is longing and desire
Life is knowing this, wanting this, walking on fire
Each evolution of Spirit we choose
Can only ease closer to absolute truth

And that truth be simply-
Just one truth is sure:
That there is no one truth
Each One’s truth is pure

Reality changes as each one perceives
Truth flows between us as rivers ‘round reeds
I see your beauty as you must see mine
For each is perfection in the bounty of time

Must sleep now...

Mushi...Your treatise is beautiful, well written and very unclear as to meaning. I completely understand why Didy is confused. Isn't the purpose of Philosophy to deliver a message beautifully yet clearly? I believe your point is that the impression on one's brain from something beautiful (or terrible) creates the essence of mind. Yet you say that if we are content merely to have the appearance of whatever it is we desire we are somehow lacking and that we should strive every day to know that we really do have what we want more than anything.

All well said and I have much to say about that we are complete and already have the answer we so dearly seek. Yet you leave us all confused about the question...Simply, the brain vs. the mind.

The brain is a body thing only, just as are the eyes, the fingers, the tongue, the bones within the ear and the olfactory sensors. It sees the absolute beauty and warehouses it. It is a body thing only. It has no emotion or feeling about what comes in. Various storage rooms therein interact through physical impulses, electrical synapses, without regard to HOW beautiful this one is or HOW ugly that may be. Even to the completely unconscious brain stem whose charge is simply to deny death at any cost.

Deep in the brain is housed the Pituitary Gland, The Seat Of The Soul, The Governor. From these impressions of beauty, ugly, pain, hormones are released causing physical reactions. Yet, what causes the pituitary turn us on when we think of a naked woman, make us cry when we think of our deceased Mother or make us tense when we think we are threatened?

Thought is independant of the brain. Thought comes from without (Tielhard De Chardin) and can be controlled consciously, just as easily as any choice (what should I eat tonight). We can choose to feel good or bad. We can choose to be happy or sad. We can choose to be angry or calm.

It is the choice that defines the difference between Brain and Mind. The brain does not chose, the mind does. OK, 'nough for now...