Understanding Human Consciousness: A Physiological Approach - Essay Example

Understanding Human Consciousness: A Physiological Approach At the same time we are aware or conscious of many other actions. Understanding of human consciousness is not an easy task. This paper tries to understand consciousness through a psychological approach. The Nature of Behavioral Neuroscience “The last frontier in this world – and perhaps the greatest one – lies within us. The human nervous system makes possible all that we can do, all that we can know, and all that we can experience” (“Origins of Behavioral Neuroscience”, n.d., p.2). It is easier to land on the Moon or Mars than to learn more about behavioural neuroscience.

Complex mechanisms are there in controlling the actions of a person. It should be noted that it often occurs that a saint becomes a demon when he or she gets suitable opportunities. The opposite case is also true. It is extremely difficult to explain such irregularities in the behaviours of people. Behavioural neuroscience deals with the study of human nature. Body and mind constitutes a human. We know the mechanisms of the body better than the mechanisms of the mind. This is because of the physical presence of the body one can experience.

On the other hand, mind is invisible and it is believed that it is formed by the working of the nervous system. “We believe that once we understand the workings of the human body – especially the workings of the nervous system – we will be able to explain how we perceive, how we think, how we remember, and how we act”.. Neither the body nor the mind has any independent existence. Body functions based on the instructions of the mind. On the other hand, the mind needs a medium for its existence and functioning.

In short, both the body and the mind complement each other to sustain human functions. Natural Selection and Evolution Charles Darwin is the founder of the theory of natural selection. He has formulated this theory to explain evolution. “Natural selection is a process resulting in the survival of those individuals from a population of animals or plants that are best adapted to the prevailing environmental conditions” (“Natural Selection”, n.d.). Darwin argued that only the fittest will survive and others will be destroyed.

In other words, only the animals and plants which are able to adapt themselves to the environment will survive. Darwin explained the survival and destruction of some species of animals with the help of this theory. Ethical Issues in Research with Animals Plenty of animal experiments are going on in different parts of the world to develop new medicines. Many of these experiments result in the death and agony of animal life. Some people believe that animal life is as important as human life and hence it is unethical to test medicines upon animals.

On the other hand, many people believe that human life is more important than animal life and hence animal experiments are acceptable. In any case, there is a consensus in the scientific world to reduce atrocities against animals in the name of experimental studies by following 3 R’s. “’Three R’s’ are: replacement of conscious living animals with non-sentient animals or materials, reduction of the number of animals used in an experiment or procedure, and refinement of the techniques used in