How do we control our thinking?

[scilover89]

For example, when you are doing an essay, you must get some idea to write. Thus you send an impulse through the nerve cell to the brain. But what send the impulse, and how is it controlled?

 

[umbrios]

i think you are trying to oversimplfy the mind. it's not as simple as a computer program. I'm not sure, but I'm sure it comes from something like this.
you are instructed to write an essay, which causes your mind to realize that it need to write.
in short, it's a reaction to the 'environmental stimulus' that you experence, as is most everything, except for internal drives such as hunger.

 

[Moonbear]

There is no simple answer to your question, nor is there any complete answer known. It's a very complex process, that would involve the visual input from reading your question, memory recall, some very complex cognitive processes, and processes that we don't know. You may look at the question and come up with an essay idea almost immediately, and another classmate may stare at it stumped for hours before thinking of a good topic, and another may be stumped for a while and then choose some topic they know isn't the best, but decide not to waste time thinking of a better one. All of you have been presented with the same question, yet have very different responses to it. This level of individual variation is something biology hasn't addressed yet, at least not to any level where I could offer a satisfactory answer to your question.

Isn't it fun to ask questions that we don't have answers for? Keep it up and we'll turn you into a scientist yet!