• Question: Do you think that the unconscious mind control the concious?

    Asked by abichohan to Davie, Gemma, James P, James V, Nuala on 28 Jun 2012.
    • Photo: James Verdon

      James Verdon answered on 28 Jun 2012:

      Hi abichohan,

      Yes, to a certain extent I think it does. As humans we like to think we have free will over everything, but actually, recent research shows that often we jump to a decision first, and then find a reason for it (or rationalise it) a little later.

      If you’ve ever seen Derren Brown’s TV shows, he makes good use of this – by planting ideas and feelings into people’s subconscious, he can manipulate them into doing certain things. The people believe they are acting on their own free will, but in fact they are being controlled by the subconscious.

    • Photo: James Pope

      James Pope answered on 28 Jun 2012:

      Hi abichohan,

      I agree with James V, the incredible power of our mind can see mothers suffer extreme pain to avoid dropping a hot cup of tea on a baby, or for people to suddenly lift cars up to free a loved one, our minds are just incredible things, without us knowing that it is possible, if we were only controlled by our concious minds, we would know we can’t lift a car, so wouldn’t.

      It’s also very much in our language, we “act on instant” or on “gut feeling” and some of the best decisions people make are made in a split second and the often later say they acted “without thinking”.

      So, yep I think unconcious controls the concious at times!

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