The Mind and The Brain
I have been fascinated re-reading Masons' ideas on the mind of a child in the context of recent discoveries in neuroscience. Leading psychiatrists (Jeffrey Schwartz, Dan Siegel, Curt Thompson, and Karl Lehman) have been exploring the power of "mindsight" over the function of the brain. Such research has led to transformed living in persons who have long been held captive to addictions, compulsions, depression, and other unhealthy psychological maladies.
Mason, a "psychiatrist" in her own right, draws the same clear distinction between mind and brain. She refers to the brain as the "organ and instrument" of the mind, "a region under sway of nerves and blood," a structure requiring the same conditions as the body in food, rest, exercise (p. 38, Philosophy of Education, Volume 6).
In contrast to the brain, Mason recognized the mind as a separate entity, a spiritual organ, different from matter, and challenged current educational thought, which ignored the power and presence of "invisible" mind. From this point of view and through careful observation of children, she pioneered an approach to education which recognized that the brain is nourished by the mind, and the mind is nourished by ideas.
How intriguing it is to me that todays' discoveries in neuroscience threaten to undo the foundation of modern educational thought that emphasizes brain development in incremental steps, material-based instruction, visible and measurable results- all functions of the brain, but not of the mind.
Yet again, Mason's distant voice is being heard- "that which is born of the spirit, is spirit," "the only fit sustenance for the mind is ideas," "education, like faith, is the evidence of things not seen." (p. 39). Some neuroscientists call it "mindsight," others "the wise advocate," but there is no doubt that they are pointing to the same idea of mind and brain that captured Mason over 100 years ago.
Virginia Wilcox
Head of School