Brain Fiction

Later in life, I came across two interesting books: ‘Brain Fiction’ (2005) by William Hirstein and ‘On Delusion’ (2011) by Jennifer Radden (see forthcoming blog).

Hirstein is an American philosopher primarily interested in philosophy of mind, philosophy of language, metaphysics, cognitive science, and analytic philosophy. He is a professor of philosophy at Elmhurst College.

The book is quite demanding (I seem to like such books) … so, here are some (abbreviated) statements that were of interest for my own understanding. Hirstein’s aim is to explain and define the topics centered around false memories, confabulation and (self-)delusion.

Hirstein describes many examples of clinical confabulation where patients have problems with proper self-awareness and act (speak) in a way that contradicts their situation. For example, someone who has suffered from a stroke with the result that one side of the body is paralyzed (hemiplegia), may speak in a way as if everything is in order. When asked to raise the left (impaired) arm, the person may say: Oh, I don’t feel like moving my arm, I have a bad arthritis. There are many examples of such ‘clinical confabulation’, i.e. providing answers (often times absurd and fantastic) that don’t reflect at all the actual situation.

He then describes some forms of memory disorder, e.g. one that produces a dense amnesia for recent events (Korsakoff’s syndrome), or one that leads to the conviction that another person has been replaced by an impostor (Capgras’ syndrome).

Histein provides information about brain functions and underlying mechanism of such states of mind. He then explains the processes of inhibition and the opposing ‘disinhibition’. For example, inhibition is usually helpful to suppress anti-social behavior whereas a person with disinhibition may uncontrollably act out in antisocial ways. Disinhibition can lead to hyperactivity, ‘pressured speech’ and a decreased need for sleep; furthermore to: aroused hypersexuality, overeating and aggressive outbursts, expressing unfiltered emotional outbursts, expression of grandiose or paranoid delusions, production of visual and auditory hallucinations.

Sociopaths display an anti-social behavior as result of an antisocial personality disorder (due to powerful disinhibition processes). Sociopaths can easily confabulate and make others believe what he (most likely more men than women) is saying. The favorite weapon of psychopaths is language – and they may even themselves believe in what they are saying … (sort of).

Confabulation and delusion (or self-deception) are two different pairs of shoe. A self-deceived person often has greater ability to access information that would prove that a certain belief is ill-grounded, whereas a confabulator has limited (to none) means to do so (due to impaired checking functions (Hirstein, Brain Fiction).

Self-deceived people rend to not allow themselves to think about, remember, or perceive certain facts, and do not use available fact-checking procedures. They do not want to reflect the limitations of their understanding (‘complacent ignorance’). They may say: Don’t tell me all the details, I don’t want to know’. (Hirstein, Brain Fiction). 

Now, overconfident people (that includes religious ones) can be quite convincing and it may be difficult to detect the falsity of their statements. Such overconfidence can be used as powerful strategy in social interactions. Being overconfident will not help truth but this may be of secondary interest (Hirstein, Brain Fiction).

Yes, saving people for the Lord may be more important than applying proper self-checking procedures – for the Time is Near.