What is the psychological & biological process that transfers thought into action?

[willprentice]

HI all,
I'd like to know what the process is behind turning a 'thought' into 'action' from a biological (inc. psychological & neurological) viewpoint i.e. i decide to stand up.... what turns the thought of standing up into actually doing it?

I guess its something like this...

A thought (that has to be represented internally via one of the 5 senses) causes a chemical reaction in the brain which releases chemical which drive the action!

I'm sure that this is probably way off the mark and would love to know the way it works! And not just 'what' happens but also HOW it happens!

Any ideas? Failing that does anyone know of a book that will give me this information?

Thanks in advance

Will

[boobesque]

the problem with an explanation here is consciousness. or rather the fact that we are conscious of our consciousness.
if this question was posed about a lion or a dog then we could say that the initial process is a need for food or water or anything that the dog needs. we humans can do things without need just because we can. stand up right now. no need for it, but you can still do this just to prove that you can to yourself. no other animal does this so the initial thought itself has an unknown origin. as for the rest of the process, i will leave it to people who know what they are talking about

[nucleardream]

Science explains "how" things happen, religion attempts to explain "why" things happen. Even though, they may be a very similar concept, it becomes difficult to answer the two in tandem.

When we can posit how a certain process takes place and some of it undelying mechanisms, to beg the question of "why" that happened the way it happened is harder to test than the former.

[willprentice]

OK guys, thanks for the post but the answer i'm looking for is not wraped up in a philosophical debate! The 'why's' are not relevant to my question which is 'HOW' does it happen!
Cheers
Will

[crete]

i have a headache now just looking at your question where did that come from ?

[Backdrifter]

You're effectively asking: what is thought? Which is a question we're still puzzling over.

You imply that a thought triggers an action but that's not always true. If I'm slumped on the couch at night and think "I really ought to get up" I frequently then just remain there. The only difference between that, and my then getting up, is that I had the thought in which I've now decided I will actually stand up, and then activated the relevant muscles required to go from siting to standing. There's no bridging process between the two, which is what you seem to be implying, unless I'm misreading you.

Also, I didn't understand your comment "A thought, that has to be represented internally via one of the 5 senses." What do you mean?

[Obfuscate]

Thought generally extends from a need or want to achive a goal. Once these demands are created the brain sends electrical impulses through the body's nervous system in order to move our muscles to achive these goals. Check out a "how it works" or "the amazing human body" book for a more complete and complex answer.