THE UNIVERSE
‘The Universe’ explained
What is The Universe? Within the field of astrophysics, and for the purpose of this website, it refers to everything observable within space (and time). There are other conceptualisations of The Universe that include things beyond the limits of observation; some even hypothesise that The Universe may be of infinite size. The observable universe is approximately 14 billion years old and contains planets, moons, stars (e.g. Sun), galaxies (e.g. Milky Way), and many other interesting objects such as black holes and neutron stars. There are also less tangible things such as dark matter and dark energy.
Human knowledge of The Universe comes from thousands of years of observations and scientific experiments. When astronomers observe the most distant objects and energy sources through telescopes we are seeing something that occurred billions of years ago. Through many observations of near and far objects, along with knowledge of physics and chemistry, we are able to understand the universe and predict future events (the field of Astrophysics). This doesn’t sound too different to what we do in psychiatry. Since we can not usually access the human brain directly, we make ‘distant’ observations, such as observing behaviours and listening to what patients tell us they are experiencing.
The Universe in the Mind
The Mind in the Universe
Just as the observable universe is based in matter and energy, so is the human mind which lies within the universe (specifically within the brain). This allows us to improve our understanding of the mind by considering anatomy, physiology, and neuroscience. For example, a burgeoning treatment is deep brain stimulation (DBS) in which brain regions are stimulated with electrical impulses. Originally used for movement disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease, DBS is showing promise for treating psychiatric conditions such as depression, OCD, and anorexia. Although still in development, DBS is an example of how the mind is directly connected to the brain. Through knowledge that the mind is produced from the brain, which is part of the universe, we are able to learn more about mental illnesses and better treatments. Just as humans have developed vast knowledge of the universe through reproducible scientific experimentation (cause and effect processes), we are similarly developing knowledge of the mind. Despite ‘standing on the shoulders of giants’ we have much more to learn about both the universe and the mind.
“Standing on the shoulders of giants” was made famous by Isaac Newton in 1675, one of the most famous scientists in history. The metaphor refers to how modern discoveries are only possible because of the knowledge gained throughout history.
More about the Universe
Click below to learn more about the universe (and many other things) from a wonderful person: