In the argument section on pages 65-66, Shenk talks about how the way people practice, the intensity of that practice, and the long term commitment to it can actually change our physical bodies, such as in the muscles, nerves, heart, lungs, and brain. This enhancement of features, especially in the brain, lead to precise task knowledge, a shift to intuitive thinking, and elaborate self monitoring that allow for adjustments in real time.
If this is true, what kind of physical changes can occur and how long would they take? Can anyone decide that they are going to start practicing at something, and have their body and brain start changing? Does a faster changing and adapting body and brain make someone more skilled than another, and does starting with certain natural physical attributes for their skill propel that person forward at the start?
(Kenny Nelson) kenny@shimanek.org
Though ultimately physiological differences do set everyone apart, it is clear that with practice and consistency, most people will eventually be able to achieve much more than they ever imagined. This is due to both plasticity in the brain, as seen and explained in many separate studies and the potential to increase physical abilities. Regarding increasing physical abilities, Shenk suggests that “researches have recorded…. physical changes… in muscles, nerves, hearts, lungs, and brains of those showing profound increases in skill level in any domain” (Shenk 65). In this way it becomes clear that gene expression modification likely results in increases in abilities as they become necessary for survival and thriving in a given situation when given proper resources.
ReplyDeleteNeural plasticity is the ability of the brain to change and adapt over time to a given situation. A great example of this would be Ericsson and Chase’s study in which the conclusion was drawn that though “it is not possible to increase the capacity of short-term memory with extended practice… with an appropriate mnemonic system and retrieval structure, there is seemingly no limit to improvement in memory skill with practice” (Shenk 56). This conclusion suggests that overtime, anyone can master certain mental skills, and that the brain will adapt to any situation if given enough practice and determination. Following a study by Kerr, “A prolonged and widespread process of repair and reorganization of surviving neural circuits is instigated by injury to the adult brain” (Kerr, A. L., Cheng, S., & Jones, T. A. (2011). Experience-dependent neural plasticity in the adult damaged brain. Journal Of Communication Disorders, 44(5), 538-548. doi:10.1016/j.jcomdis.2011.04.011).
Following this information, the brain is able to adapt to a variety of circumstances thrown at it, even injury. The fact that the brain can reorganize after an injury suggests even greater potential in everyday life when faced with new challenges. This means that, following Shenk’s ideas, practice must increase in intensity and eventually revolve around certain failure, for the brain to adapt, as failure will force the brain to change in order to accommodate needed changes.
These ideas fit with the theme of homeostasis. The body is capable of a great deal of accommodation in order to maintain homeostasis. Deviation from homeostasis as would be seen in intense practice and exertion would require the body to adapt and change overtime in order to make accommodations to avoid an unsafe situation. One such instance is that of runners, whose body is able to adapt to changes in blood flow. This adaptation is so vast, according to Campbell, that “runners… can suffer heart failure if they stop vigorous activity abruptly” (909). This illustrates that overtime, anyone’s body has the potential to adapt, though ultimately, we are all still limited by the laws of nature, as seen in the study regarding short term memory that I quoted earlier on.
Overall, in order to gain abilities, it is essential to push the body to its limits and ultimately fail a couple of times before any real progress can be made. The plasticity of the brain and the endless adapting abilities of the body all work together to allow humans to have virtually unlimited potential.
Jacob Yomtoob (jakeyomtoob@gmail.com)