Understanding the Brain, 2

To the reasons for understanding more about the brain, provided by The National Science Foundation and the BRAIN Initiative, I would add this. Everything starts in the brain. When you understand more about brain function in general and your brain in particular, you are giving yourself the opportunity to ‘use your brain by design.’ Life is basically trial and error—with the hope that you learn from your mistakes, avoid making the same ones in the future, and realize fewer negative outcomes and far more positive outcomes. None will ever understand brain function completely, in general or more specifically to one’s own brain. However, when you can make decisions and exhibit behaviors that give you positive outcomes (as opposed to negative outcomes), everyone benefits. Therefore, I plan on learning as much about brain function as I can for as long as I live . . .