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Her fascination with the mind was sparked unexpectedly. Initially on a path to become a concert violinist, Maya’s trajectory shifted dramatically after a hand injury at age 15 ended her musical aspirations. This setback propelled her into the realm of cognitive science, where she became captivated by the complexity of human abilities—particularly language—and what drives our behaviors and beliefs.
Defining the Mind: A Circular and Ephemeral Concept
The discussion transitions into a philosophical exploration: What exactly is the mind? Maya offers her definition rooted in reductionism—seeing mental phenomena as arising from physical states within the brain. She marvels at how electrical signals produce rich, first-person experiences, a phenomenon known as qualia.