Study Notes on The Basic Functions of Human Mind

The human mind has three basic functions:
- Thinking
- Feeling
- Wanting

Definition: Thinking is the aspect of the mind that figures things out and makes sense of life events.
Activities Involved in Thinking:
- Reflecting
- Anticipating
- Deciding
- Imagining
- Remembering
- Wondering
- Pondering
- Intending
- Believing
- Disbelieving
- Meditating
- Inferring
- Understanding
- Predicting
- Introspecting
Importance:
- Thinking is considered the highest mental activity present in humans.
- All human achievements and progress are products of thought.
- Thought and action are inseparable; they are two sides of the same coin.

Definition: Feelings arise from thinking, as we evaluate whether events in our lives are positive or negative.
Connection to Thinking: The creation of feelings is a result of the evaluation process conducted by the mind during thinking.

Definition: Wanting allocates energy to actions, aligning them with what we define as desirable and possible.
Relationship to Thinking and Feeling: Wanting can be seen as a motivation that arises from the interplay between our thoughts and feelings.

There exists a dynamic and intimate relationship among thinking, feeling, and wanting.
- Phrase Summary:
- “I think… I feel… I want…” indicates that these functions are interconnected and influence each other.

Trigger for Thinking: We begin thinking when confronted with difficulties, perplexities, or problems—unfamiliar situations with no ready instinctive or habitual response.
Distinction: Thinking is distinct from day-dreaming; it is purposive, directed, and controlled.

Definition Recap:
- Thinking is a process of careful consideration using the mind to process imagination and information, arriving at logical conclusions based on known premises.
- Recognizing the inseparable link between thought and action is crucial for understanding human cognition and behavior.