The Malleable Mind

Introduction

Humans are unique in the animal kingdom due to brain plasticity.
Unlike a newborn zebra that can walk within minutes, human brains are born “half-baked” and wired by experiences in the world.
Brain plasticity (or neuroplasticity) refers to the brain’s ability to change and rewire itself over time.
William James coined the term “plasticity” inspired by plastic manufacturing, but the brain is far more dynamic.
A more fitting term: “Liveware” – the brain is constantly evolving like a city.

Compared to animals, humans have an expanded cortex, allowing for flexible responses.
The prefrontal cortex enables higher-order thinking, planning, and evaluating possibilities.
Unlike reflex-driven animals, humans can override impulses (e.g., choosing not to eat food for dietary reasons).
Our brains are massive relative to our body size (~3 pounds, 86 billion neurons, 200 trillion connections).
Damage to even a small brain area can radically change personality or function.

Each neuron is as complex as a city, trafficking millions of proteins.
A cubic millimeter of brain tissue has as many connections as stars in the Milky Way Galaxy.
The brain is not rigidly mapped like a computer but rather a fluid, adaptive system.
Traditional brain maps are oversimplified—regions interact dynamically.
The brain functions like a shifting geopolitical map, constantly adjusting boundaries based on experiences.

The brain is not like a computer—it is resilient and adaptable.
Example: A man with severe hydrocephalus (missing most of his brain) still lived a normal life.
Hemispherectomy: Removing an entire half of the brain in children still allows for normal function.
Unlike machines, the brain reorganizes itself when damaged.

Brains are not blank slates—they come pre-equipped with expectations.
Example: Baby chicks start walking immediately; human babies mimic facial expressions.
Francis Crick’s discovery of DNA was only “half the secret of life”—the other half is experience.
DNA builds a brain that rewires itself based on its environment.
Gene-environment interaction: Example study on the serotonin transporter gene and depression:
Short allele carriers experience higher depression risk with more stressful life events.
Long allele carriers are less affected by stress.

If you were born 30,000 years ago, you would be completely different, despite having the same DNA.
Example: Colored rectangles mean nothing inherently—only experience gives them significance.
Innovation evolves step-by-step (e.g., cars, cell phones)—we remix the world around us.

Brains adjust to experience: A farm child learns agriculture; a city child learns bus routes.
Efficiency & Energy Saving:
Mastery “burns” skills into the hardware of the brain.
Expert soccer players & cup-stackers operate with minimal brain activity, while novices require intense effort.
Tetris study:
3 months of practice led to greater efficiency in multiple brain regions.
Some areas physically increased in size.

Brains are designed to absorb social & sensory input—when deprived, development is impaired.
Case studies of deprivation:
Genie: Severely neglected child lacked basic functions like speech & focus—too late to recover.
Romanian orphanages: Children deprived of social interaction developed severe cognitive deficits.
Critical periods: Language, sensory perception, and social development must occur within specific windows.

The 10,000-hour rule (made famous by Malcolm Gladwell) is an oversimplification, but practice does matter.
Learning is most efficient when:
It is personally relevant.
It is repeated over time.
It moves from deliberate effort to automatic execution.

Brains are flexible, adapting to different times, places, and cultures.
The liveware model explains human adaptability, intelligence, and dominance over other species.
Heidegger’s quote: “Every man is born as many men and dies as a single one.”
Meaning: Plasticity narrows our potential as we develop.
This course will explore how experiences sculpt the brain and shape who we become.