Thinking: Function, Tasks, Role & Diseases

Thinking refers to processes of the brain that lead to knowledge, from which a variety of actions are derived. Thinking is used for problem solving and is composed of ideas, memories and logical conclusions.

What is thinking?

Thinking refers to processes of the brain that lead to cognitions, from which diverse actions are derived. Human thought is a coveted field of research in psychology, philosophy, biology, and anatomy. For thousands of years, man has been thinking about thinking and how it works. In this context, memory training, learning and forgetting play a major role. What happens in the brain during thinking has not yet been researched to the last detail. Thinking processes are far too complex to be divided into fixed categories. Although thinking is often logical, it is also guided by intuition. The thinking process is purely mental, invisible to others. Thinking awakens memories and can generate strong emotions. Thinking leads to gaining knowledge and helps solve problems in different situations. Internal occupation is controlled by the brain and is the result of the interaction of millions of nerve cells that communicate with each other. Chemical and electrical processes are activated in the thinking process. Learning and experiences can strengthen the connection of neurons required for the thinking process and lead to a strong further branching of the entire neuron network.

Function and task

People can think in the long term or the short term, some think systemically, others in entirely new directions. The brain is a versatile and extremely fascinating object of research. The concept of thinking includes memory, language, motivation, and intelligence. Throughout life, the brain changes. Over the past decades, scientists have been able to accumulate immense knowledge about how the human brain works. This has enabled them to create artificial intelligence. But even robots are nowhere near the capacity of the human brain. Intelligence is what a human uses when it doesn’t know what to do. Intelligence is made up of areas such as social, mathematical and emotional intelligence. Intelligence cannot be clearly defined, but everyone knows what constitutes it. A larger brain does not necessarily mean that the person is more intelligent. It depends on how the individual areas of the brain are linked. When thinking, cognitive building blocks are activated. These building blocks are partially inherited, but can be optimized through learning. Without our memory we would be completely helpless. During the learning process, the brain receives new cognitive building blocks that can be additionally modified. Learning is a lifelong basis of human existence. The development and modification of the modules led to the fact that humans are so successful as a species. Nevertheless, the thinking process is not exclusively rational. Thinking is influenced by many other factors. One main influencing factor is individual intelligence. This, in turn, is not defined by the number of neurons present in the brain, but by the diversity and the way in which the individual neurons are connected. Intelligence can be trained by certain forms of thinking and often develops out of a spontaneous feeling of a situation in which particular sensory impressions are perceived. The human brain can also think abstractly. Memory distinguishes important information from unimportant information, stores it in different places in the brain, and recalls it whenever we need it. The brain’s ability to learn or store information decreases due to stress. Physical exercise also affects the brain and supports the correspondence of different brain areas.

Diseases and ailments

The brain’s performance can be affected by accidents, tumors, and inflammatory diseases of the organ. Often, abnormalities then appear in the reaction of the diseased person. For example, he speaks inarticulately or shows motor disorders. If the brain is severely damaged, the person is barely able to live and is sometimes kept alive by artificial respiration. Stroke is a typical example of brain damage caused by disease. Depending on the severity, different numbers of brain cells are often irrevocably destroyed.In mental disorders there is only a dysfunction of different building blocks and modules, which can often be restored. Our thinking can influence the psyche as well as cells and organs and thereby promote the development of some diseases. It is not for nothing that doctors and therapists speak of the power of thought, which is immense but cannot cure all diseases. Undoubtedly, thought plays a major role in how we live our lives. This is because as soon as the brain produces an electrical command, a thought, a chemical reaction also starts. The chemical substance acts on the central nervous system and produces there the physical readiness to act. The dysfunction of individual modules in the brain manifests itself in different ways. There are people who have high intelligence and cognitive abilities, but they lack the skills for social interaction. In the case of neurosis or obsessive-compulsive disorder, some modules are stimulated far too much, and in the case of other mental limitations, certain areas lie completely fallow. In this context, the subconscious mind plays a significant role and is also used today to treat mental disorders. Brain training can improve thinking processes, memory performance, speed of thinking as well as concentration. Logical thinking can also be trained. Training protects against mental decline and can minimize the risk of dementia.