Check out the New York Times today, especially this article on recent research on the aging brain. As we have been hearing for awhile now, the brain is plastic, and continues to have the ability to change in positive ways, even as we age. But it turns out that simply acquiring new information–knowing more “stuff”– is not the best way to promote growth. Rather,
With a brain already full of well-connected pathways, adult learners should “jiggle their synapses a bit” by confronting thoughts that are contrary to their own… continued brain development… may require that you “bump up against people and ideas” that are different.
Seems to me like a prescription for multifaith dialogue/learning. Yet another reason to resolve to encounter our “others” in the year to come.
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Thanks for this alert to an interesting article–and also the chance to visit this site for the first time!
The article’s idea reminds me of Buddhist thinking about spending time in community as providing a space in which the rocks that we are rub against each other and become smoother in the process!
Jay Rock
Coordinator for Interfaith Relations
Presbyterian Church (USA)
Better than crossword puzzles or knitting, if you ask me.
Thanks for this very thought provoking article. I particularly like the idea of changing patterns, even something so simple as driving a different direction to work every day. I’ve tried to do that for some time and hadn’t really thought about the brain ramifications. I’ve also had many life experiences where I’ve been thrown into groups where I do get divergent viewpoints on everything under the sun. So I guess that I’m on the right track. Hopefully the brain will agree.