Despite the fact that we have different brains and different neuronal configurations, when you and I smell a skunk it seems likely that we have equivalent mental states that lead to the same conclusions. Knowing the wiring is a crucial operation in understanding the nature of thought, but it seems not to be enough; we also need to know the precise chemical soup du jour in the brain. And one more additional, crucial step is understanding which types of experiences and environmental events can change the brain’s wiring and in what ways. [via]

(via ghostnineone)