- December 8th, 2024, 5:26 am
#470568
This topic is about the December 2024 Philosophy Book of the Month, Connecting the Dots: Ancient Wisdom, Modern Science by Lia Russ
The moment your gut says no-it's a no. You can unpack the details later._20241208_145032_0000.jpg (377.57 KiB) Viewed 503 times
Our gut, which we commonly dismiss as just a digestive organ, may be far more significant to us than we think. The author introduces the idea of the enteric nervous system (ENS), a network of over 500 million neurones implanted in the gut that is way more than the amount of neurones in the spinal cord. This "second brain" affects our decision-making, emotional states, and physical responses.
Without any help from the brain, the ENS is able to process sensory data, regulate emotional swings, and even trigger physical reactions. This may explain the "sinking feeling" or "butterflies in the stomach" that we get during scary or nervous situations.
Additionally, the gut is extremely sensitive to vibrational frequencies in its surroundings, which may be a characteristic shared by animals that can sense minute changes in their environment, such as zebras or horses. This could underpin the intuitive sense many describe as a "gut reaction."
Do you believe that the gut’s neural complexity suggests it is capable of discernment or wisdom? Why or why not?
What might we lose by ignoring our gut's signals?
Our gut, which we commonly dismiss as just a digestive organ, may be far more significant to us than we think. The author introduces the idea of the enteric nervous system (ENS), a network of over 500 million neurones implanted in the gut that is way more than the amount of neurones in the spinal cord. This "second brain" affects our decision-making, emotional states, and physical responses.
Without any help from the brain, the ENS is able to process sensory data, regulate emotional swings, and even trigger physical reactions. This may explain the "sinking feeling" or "butterflies in the stomach" that we get during scary or nervous situations.
Additionally, the gut is extremely sensitive to vibrational frequencies in its surroundings, which may be a characteristic shared by animals that can sense minute changes in their environment, such as zebras or horses. This could underpin the intuitive sense many describe as a "gut reaction."
Do you believe that the gut’s neural complexity suggests it is capable of discernment or wisdom? Why or why not?
What might we lose by ignoring our gut's signals?
“There is only one thing a philosopher can be relied upon to do, and that is to contradict other philosophers”
– William James
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