Redefining Reality - The Intellectual Implications of Modern Science

That such deliberation is even possible, however, is the result
of neurological processes that are not cognitive but fully
reactive to the environment.
We may think that we determine how we feel and behave, and to
some degree, we do, but much of this is precognitive. In the 1980s,
the American psychologist Benjamin Libet demonstrated that the
we believe to be freely and consciously determined actually
occurs before the parts of the brain associated with cognition
are invoked.
The brain has separate elements that work at the same time. The
amygdala deals with many of the automatic and precognitive
aspects, but the thoughtful, cognitive functions occur in the
frontal cortex. Often, an action is begun or a reaction to a
only to have the frontal lobe immediately spring into action to
create a coherent narrative. This narrative is formed to provide
a rationale for our response.
The result is that we think our action is the result of free
are independent of the higher cognitive functions.
According to some studies, only 5% of our decisions are
caused by conscious attention to situations. The overwhelming
majority of our decisions are made by the noncognitive parts
of our brains. Our brains decide for us, then we interpret that
decision to make it seem to ourselves that we meant it all along.
In distinguishing between the purely material parts of the brain that
deal with cognitive functions and the parts of the brain that deal
with precognitive functions, we must reevaluate our place in the
world. If our actions largely result from activity in the precognitive
aspects, then we must see ourselves as much more deeply connected
to our surroundings than we previously thought.
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