Do We Really Use Only 10 Percent Of Our Brains?

   Psychologists in the early twentieth century commented that humans use only 10 percent of their brains, Albert Einstein also indicated that humans use only a small portion of the brain. It's a theory that has been propounded in television documentaries, magazines, advertisements and books over the past century. Psychics have also latched on to it as a possible explanation for paranormal behavior, attributing unusual incidents to the workings of the unused portion of the brain. They profess that 90 percent of the brain consists of untapped potential that is capable of remarkable feats.
   Nearly all scientists now agree that the theory that we use only 10 percent of our total brain function is completely unfounded. In fact, they question how this figure was arrived at in the first place and what areas of the brain are supposed to be redundant. The theory supposes that if 90 percent of the brain were removed, a person would still be able to function normally, whereas in reality it is known that damage to even a small area of the brain can result in physical devastation.
   In addition, most significant disorders of the brain involve only a small and very specific area of the brain. If the 10 percent argument was true, it's unlikely that so many problems would persistently occur in that area. And if we use only 10 percent of our nerves and neurons in the brain, how would this be measured? Indeed, imaging of the brain in scans shows that all parts of the brain are used for different activities and that many areas of the brain are used for some complex activities or thought processes. Throughout the course of one day, most areas of the brain are active at some time, even during sleep. The 10 percent theory suggests that a discrete area of the brain is not used, whereas scans reveal activity throughout the entire brain and not in any isolated segment. The final nail in the 10 percent theory is the fact that neurosurgeons carefully map the brain before removing tumors so that they don't compromise other essential areas. In fact, there is absolutely no evidence to support the 10 percent theory.

Is Suicide Illegal?

   The word "suicide" is a Latin-derived word meaning "to kill oneself" and refers to the act of intentionally ending one's life. In order to be considered suicide, the death must be the main reason for the act and not simply a consequence. For this reason, so-called suicide bombers and kamikaze pilots are not technically committing suicide.
   Attitudes toward suicide vary from culture to culture and religion to religion. Many philosophers in ancient Greece and ancient Rome considered it honorable to kill oneself in certain circumstances, while Islamic law is a sin.
   Western civilization has traditionally looked unfavorably upon suicide, and for many years it was a crime in many jurisdictions. In England, by the tenth century it was considered a crime, and by the seventeenth century anyone who committed suicide forfeited his or her personal property. It wasn't until 1961 that suicide and attempted suicide were decriminalized in England, while in Ireland suicide was decriminalized as late as 1993. Strangely, when suicide was still considered a crime, it was considered punishable by death.
   As of 1963, six states in the U.S. still considered attempted suicide a crime, but by the 1990s this number was reduced to two states and today suicide is legal everywhere in the U.S. For this reason, the word "commit" is often avoided in connection with suicide, as it implies that the act is a crime.
   While the act of suicide isn't a crime, it can have negative consequences. Most insurance companies, for instance, won't pay out to the beneficiary of a person holding a life-insurance policy who has committed suicide. In addition, many jurisdictions still consider assisting someone in the act-such as a medical professional performing euthanasia-as a criminal offense. Euthanasia consequently remains a hotly debated topic.