Or … cogito, ergo sum, (Latin: “I think, therefore I am) dictum coined by the French mathematician and philosopher René Descartes in his Discourse on Method (1637)
If you hear a voice in your head while not speaking, is it YOU, God, the devil, or something else?
From what place do you think it originates? What neurological purpose can you imagine it serves? Do you perceive it to be rational or emotional? Does the voice get mad or yell? Does it yell at you or others? Does this inner voice cry? Maybe it varies from person to person. Think about it.
The voice is no doubt fascinating. I suggest that it is also revealing, and under the right conditions, it is a cognitively encouraging sign.
René Descartes and Eckert Tolle suggest that when you see that voice as something other than you, explicitly, your mind has breached SELF-awareness. I 100% agree. I see it as the first step in an individual’s intellectual awakening.
Human cognitive feedback systems
Habit — (1) the individual hears no voice (possessing no free will), (2) the individual’s voice is seamless to their thinking (they possess free will), (3) the individual is an observer of the voice (the individual has acquired reason) — I think these are the three stages of cognitive development
Cognitive habits are subconscious; there is no separate voice associated with the expression of your habits (though sometimes a habit or experience is an explicit “voice”–like the memory of the voice of another). For habit, and specifically while in cognitive youth, this reflexive voice is both integral and seamless to one’s habitual thinking. That is to say, one’s thinking, and any voice(s) they may hear, are one and the same. In one’s cognitive youth, thinking will not be an engaged (i.e., directing) “observer” of the voice. Instead, the individual is an immediate actor in the mind’s play, and not, by contrast, a directing contributor standing either stage right or left of that play. Specifically, in cognitive immaturity, one hears the voice; they do not “observe” it. That is to say, they hear the voice as a person speaking it, not as a person listening to a recording of it. Nevertheless, neurologically, one’s thoughts are only expressed/externalized with a voice so that the individual may retain the power to halt them. Yet, even in habit, I do not believe all are aware of this voice. Some individuals lack SELF-control (free will). They have no power to halt habit. They hear no voice.
Finally, there are emotions. Emotions are your subconscious’s sensory “voice” to you. They talk to you with biochemical feedback. You will not hear this subconscious feedback; you feel it. Emotions are necessary so that you can respond to subconscious beliefs established to protect you. In time, some learn to verbalize (hear) these fears. Yet, many do not. While touch, pain, taste, hearing, sight, and pain can provide feedback to externalized action, the aforementioned facilities cannot offer feedback to the individual for subconscious thoughts. Human emotions do this,
Functional Diagram
For Reason
The prefrontal cortex is where your “conscious” thinking is facilitated. It contains awareness. Within awareness, one can “hear” (actually produce) their own voice so that they can participate in an otherwise subconscious thinking system. This “voice” is the feedback mechanism for conscious thinking–just like emotions are the feedback system for subconscious thinking. To have a conscious role in your body and mind’s operation, you need to monitor/expose your own thoughts to yourself. Because noone cannot see their mind think, they need to acquire the capacity to “hear” it think.
In this way, one observes thier thoughts.
Sometimes, however, neurological connections are made in the prefrontal cortex, which are not directly driven by your awareness. There is an essential reason for this, but the explanation must be the subject of another detailed post. However, I am sure you know what I mean; in problem-solving, the cognitive light just goes on.
Some might attribute the “vocal” feedback associated with this new, awarenessless-driven connection to the voice of God (or other entity) because it was not directly by their awareness. To them, yes, it’s a voice, but their existing thoughts, as far as they can tell, did not produce it. So, another entity has interjected new thoughts into their thinking.
New Neurological Connections
When that voice starts helping the individual develop diseased thinking, they should seek help. Schizophrenia is an example of this.
Otherwise, the individual is simply innovating. For many, because it is helpful, this voice may be attributed to God.
However, all rational people seek to subsequently test the validity of these new thoughts (ideas) to ensure that they are the voice of God (absolute or objective truth). The mentally ill will not.
