I of the Vortex Quotes

“The neural processes underlying that which we call creativity have nothing to do with rationality. That is to say, if we look at how the brain generates creativity, we will see that it is not a rational process at all; creativity is not born out of reasoning.”
― Rodolfo R. Llinás, I of the Vortex: From Neurons to Self

“no pain is localizable. The cutting of a finger andthe pain it brings seems localized, but it is simply a co-activation of pain, the emotional state, and general tactile stimulation. The unpleasantness of pain is an emotional state generated by the brain (Tolle et al. 1999; Treede et al. 1999), not an event that somehow resides at a particular body location (Greenfield 1995).”
― Rodolfo R. Llinás, I of the Vortex: From Neurons to Self

“Sensations are truly intrinsic, in that they can also be attainedor obtainedin the absence of activation of sensory pathways. During dreaming we feel many different sensations (Zadra et al. 1998), yet none of the things we feel in our dreams comes via the pathways that convey such sensations during the waking state.”
― Rodolfo R. Llinás, I of the Vortex: From Neurons to Self

“The sensory pathways do not execute sensations; they only serve to inform the internal context about the external world; during dream sleep they do not even do this. In both states, sensation is a construct given by the intrinsic activity of the brain, within the momentary internal context given by the thalamocortical system.”
― Rodolfo R. Llinás, I of the Vortex: From Neurons to Self