TED Community » Zenan Zhou

More About Me

I'm passionate about

I am pssionate about psychology (moral cognition) and philosophy (philosophy of mind). I am recently interested in the topic of corruption

My TED Story

I translate TED vedio from English to Chinese

Comments

• TEDCred score: +3.20 TEDCred reflects your contribution to the TED community.

• +2

  A comment on Talk: Andy Puddicombe: All it takes is 10 mindful minutes

  Jan 18 2013: Our conciousness is really a mystery. It has qualities that are utterly different from the brain. it seems like conciousness takes no space and carries no weight. Our mind is like an ocean, comming and going, going and comming without cease.
  
  What is a thought? A thought has a cognitive component which conveys the meaning that is embeded within its structure (semantics and syntatics) . In addition, a thought has its affection component which conveys emotions that is connected to the emotion centre of the brain (amydala). The cognitive and the affective component of our thought transfer to our behaviours , and that is how conciousness can really make a difference.
  
  My concern is do we really have control over our mind, or is it the case that certain thought will be activated by different sensory cues. A thought of sex in the face of beautiful women. Certain interpretation will be aroused by certain events. I am stupid because I failed my test. The seemingly unbreakable link between the world and the mind is evident.
  
  What is interesting is that by being mindful or by being in the here and now, we start to understand the link between our mind and the environment. We start to understand ourselves. And eventually , we start to regain control over our mind. In other words, we start to have a say over what kinds of thought to think of and what kinds of emotion to experienc with. That is the power of meditation.

• A comment on Talk: Sam Harris: Science can answer moral questions

  Jan 18 2013: In this video, Sam discusses the concern we have with moral relativitism; namely, the problem of subjective morality. Should we have a single objective moral standard or multi one . Sam specifies that there are multiple moral peaks in the moral domain, but there are definitely multiple moral bottoms.
  
  But what does Sam mean by moral peaks? How are these moral peaks determined? In other words, how and why some ways of living are moral peaks, while others are moral bottoms. I think what sam means by moral peak is basically ways of living that will result in a flourishing, meaningful, and pleasurable life for humans. According to Sam, morality has a goal which is to promote the chances of a flourishing life. Ways of life that can achieve such a goal are called moral peaks. Whereas, ways of living that can't achieve such a goal are called moral bottoms. By defining morality as such, Sam immediately seems to bridge the two seemingly contridictory statements, the descriptive claim ,"what is the case"and the normative claim, "what ought to be". If we define morality as to promote a flourishing life then science indeed can provide some insight on the question of morality. There are just some ways of living that are suitable or even ideal for humans according to human psychology and neuroscience. There are certain kinds of activity (finite) that are found enjoyable and meaningful by humans, not neccessary by other species.
  
  However, by defining morality as such, there will be some problems. First of all, why should we define morality as to promote a flourishing life? why can't we define morality otherwise, for example, morality is a way to enhance human dignity, autonomy, rights rather than a flourishing life, then we might arrive at a very different set of answers, for sometime protecting human dignity and autonomy might not neccessary lead to a flourishing life. In addition, by defining morality as such, morality will be species indepedent ... (word count limit reach

• A comment on Talk: Beau Lotto + Amy O’Toole: Science is for everyone, kids included

  Nov 6 2012: Science is truly amazing. It revives the ordinary life and full the life with color. It is truly a play. I hope in the future everyone can have the ability to do science and share with the public. I hope science isn't just an occupation but a life long hobbies.