Do you think the main purpose of the mind is curiosity?

[kolokol1]

I was just wondering today, why is it so interesting to say play a multiplayer game on my ps3 or to ride my bike or to interact with friends... I've done it millions of times already... its because of curiosity. What new situation will happen this time that has never happened before? Its the fact that every possible situation that happens next is completely unimaginable is why it's so interesting.

 

Of course in some situations you are more curious as to what happens next than others. Like right now I am not too curious as to what people will respond to this. But when I'm interacting with someone in real life I can't even imagine what they will do. And I can't imagine what I will do in response either. That's what makes it interesting.

 

On that matter what is curiosity anyways, in terms of the brain and the mind? Is it neutotransmitter-ish? Dopamine makes things interesting. Or maybe it's some of the psychedelic serotonin receptors that tryptamines act on. I don't even know. Endocannabinoids are in a class of their own maybe they have something to do with it.

Edited August 15, 2009 by kolokol1

[dr.syntax]

But it is easy to imagine all the different was curiosity would play a role in that. Watching puppies and kittens at play exhibit what I think of as curiousity. And of course the same is true of humans. Though I think curiosity is much stronger during the formative years it seems to remain an active force within many us throughout our lives. ...ds

Edited September 3, 2009 by dr.syntax
misspelling

[bascule]

Dopamine drives our goal-oriented behavior. We seek out a goal then seek to accomplish it.

[JillSwift]

I do not think there is a main purpose for the mind. In fact, I don't think the mind has purpose, it only has function. (Probably just being pedantic, but purpose suggests and intent for a tool or process, and evolution, wich gave us the mind, doesn't have intent.)

 

The general term "mind" is multifaceted, and those facets interact with one another in complex ways. In fact, if you consider each facet is made up of smaller processes themselves, you see how this emergent system is so difficult to pin down.

 

All of the smaller processes function to enhance survival - groups of the functions can be calsses in just that way: Social instincts give rise to group support, purposeful thinking gives rise to tool use, forethought and pattern seeking gives rise to planning, memory and purposeful thinking allows mistake repetition avoidance and other learning, etc. Combined as a whole the mind's overall function is still survival. Combine a lot of minds in a group and you get thriving survival. Combine a bunch of those groups and you get modern times

 

Geez I hope I've made some sense in this post.