Eight Deeply Ingrained Concepts

Ideas that are so fundamental it's really hard to see them

I woke up with this strange question in my head: What fundamental concepts are so deeply ingrained in Western culture that we’re not even aware of them? Does modern science challenge some of these ideas and offer us another way to regard them?

I’ll start with eight, and maybe you can think of more. I’ll list all eight (so that free subscribers can read them all) and use the paywall just for the comments.

A Poet by Ernest Meissonier

1. That thinking takes place in the brain.

But scientists are helping us to understand embodied cognition, which suggests that thinking is distributed throughout the body and shaped by our sensory experiences.

2. That consciousness only happens with complex nervous systems

But modern botanical science and studies of colonial insects suggests that emergent behaviors and structures appear beyond our current understanding of information processing.

3. That the mind and the body are separate.

But this Cartesian dualism has been challenged by various philosophical and scientific perspectives, including monism, which posits that the mind and body are intertwined and inseparable.

4. That we act on the basis of free will.

But many philosophers argue that free will is an illusion, and that our choices are influenced by factors like genetics, environment, past experiences, and even gut bacteria which shape our brain activity and behavior.

5. That we perceive the totality of the world around us.

But we’re only aware of a thin slice of the electromagnetic spectrum, and many animals and plants can sense things we’re blind to, such as ultraviolet light, magnetic fields, or vibrations in the air.

6. That time is linear and absolute.

But modern physics has shown that time is relative, flexible, and dependent on the observer's frame of reference. Some cultures also perceive time as cyclical or fluid.

7. That language is a neutral and objective reflection of reality.

But linguists and philosophers have shown that language shapes our perception of the world, influences our thought patterns, and can be used to reinforce or challenge dominant power structures.

8. That individualism is the primary unit of society.

But many cultures prioritize collectivism, community, and interdependence, highlighting the importance of relationships and social bonds in shaping our identities and experiences.