Looking at the long history of the universe we observe that there is a continual evolution in terms of increasing order. Underlying this evolution is a power. This same power underlies the mind.
The purpose of the mind, therefore, is to evolve the organism and the environment toward greater order. The primary function of the mind is to coordinate the activities of the body and the environment so they evolve. When there are anomalies, the mind resolves them so there is greater order in terms of consistency, harmony and continuity.
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The Mental Matrix
Mind is not the same thing as brain. The brain is part of the body’s hardware; mind is the body’s software. To understand the structure of the mind we need to first understand how it operates.
The mind operates by drawing on experience. This experience is derived from the perceptions received continually by the mind. In a normal functioning mind, the perceptions are received through the senses of touch, sight, hearing, taste and smell. These perceptions break down into fine data elements, which are then arranged in a matrix type structure.
A matrix is made up of nodes where each node is in some relationship with every other node. In the mental matrix the nodes are made up of data elements that are related to each other by the properties perceived. For example, in an animal mind, these data elements may be related by the properties of how safe and edible the things perceived are.
The human mind is more complex than the animal mind. The perceptions from the environment get refined rapidly as patterns of data elements. For example, the property “red” may be expressed as part of the color scale. This makes the matrix of the human mind extremely refined and complex. Errors creep in only when perceptions do not get refined and assimilated into this mental matrix.
The mind is a matrix made up of elements derived from the perception of the environment.
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Earlier Models
The present work proposes this “matrix” model for the mind. Looking at earlier models, we find Freud’s model of conscious and unconscious mind proposed in 1890s, and Hubbard’s model of analytical and reactive mind proposed later in 1950s.
In the matrix model, the greater is the refinement of the data elements and the relationships among them, the higher is the consciousness. Thus human consciousness is much higher than the consciousness in animals. When perceptions from the environment are not refined into patterns of data elements they are just lodged into the mental matrix as “unassimilated nodes”. The person is not conscious of such unassimilated experiences. This describes the concept of “unconscious mind” proposed by Freud.
The “unconscious mind” of Freud is made up of “unassimilated nodes” in the mental matrix.
In the matrix model, thinking occurs as the data elements associate with each other such that continuity, harmony and consistency are maintained at all times throughout the mental matrix. This forms the faculty of the mind to imagine and make projections in an analytical manner. In a refined and well-assimilated matrix the thinking is rational, or analytical. However, as more “unassimilated nodes” are activated in the mental matrix the thinking becomes irrational and reactive. This describes the concept of “reactive mind” proposed by Hubbard.
The “reactive mind” of Hubbard is also made up of “unassimilated nodes” in the mental matrix.
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Memory
The models of Freud and Hubbard imply that perceptions are stored “as-is” in the mind. However, the “matrix” model describes the storage of perceptions as patterns of data elements well-assimilated within the mental matrix. Since same data elements may be utilized many times in different patterns, the “matrix” model provides a more efficient way of storing perceptions in the mind. A “memory” is a pattern of data elements that is activated by attention. Memory is clear and precise when its pattern is made up of refined and well-assimilated elements. It would be difficult to recall a memory if it contains “unassimilated nodes”.
A “memory” is a pattern of data elements that is activated by attention.
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Summary
The matrix arrangement ensures that the data elements can be combined in infinity of unique ways to represent all possible experience. These combinations could be the formation of past memories upon recall. Or, they can be the formation of new visualizations needed to sort out anomalies created by “unassimilated nodes”.
The matrix arrangement provides a very efficient organization and storage of experience to support the activities of the mind.
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