The mind's landscape

The location of the brain is clear - it is inside our head, encased by the skull. The brain is the centre of all neural activity, giving out commands and receiving electrical and chemical signals from and to different parts of the body, as well as from external stimuli. But no one knows, yet, where the mind is located, although memories are stored in the brain and thoughts are generated from this organ. Over and above the physical brain, there is mind, which is non-fungible.

Writing for Templeton Ideas, Stephen Law says that the mind's inner landscape appears to be inaccessible to others. 'No one else can enter my mind and access my thoughts and feelings along with me. Rather, they must infer how things are with me from observation of my outward behaviour.' He goes on to say that therefore, we each live out our lives in solitary confinement.

Similarly, every other individual's landscape of the mind is their own private world. Just as others cannot enter your world, so, too, you cannot enter their minds, their inner worlds. Even if we try to put ourselves in their shoes, as the saying goes, it is impossible to experience their innermost experiences and thoughts.


While this could be frightening to some, to others, it could be a blessing. Imagine how much worse relationships could be if we entered each other's minds. Even an unintentional thought that crept into your mind could be misread by your loved one and all hell could break loose. And some things are better left unsaid, for love, peace and a bit of privacy are more important than reading one another's minds.