Why can’t the human brain think multiple thoughts at the same time?
In: Biology
Answer: Our brains are optimized for evolutionary needs, and each portion has a primary function that it performs efficiently (and often independently).
Our brain stem keeps us breathing and heart beating. Other parts control digestion, receiving our sensory inputs, or semi-private things like walking, chewing, or blinking.
In truth, we’re doing TONS of things (important to evolution) at the same time – but fewer of our brain’s components are dedicated to conscious thought. The capacity to think many complex thoughts simultaneously isn’t (or…wasn’t) important enough to justify the ongoing energy needs to provide that ability.
In fact – the ability to do such complex thinking at all is a significant evolutionary step that required massive nutritional energy and fat content that was once unusual to have in excess. Satisfying the calories needed for two such processors would be far harder, and with diminishing returns in the wild.
Humans are made to pursue goals and avoid obstacles. Usually in nature those things come one at a time, so people evolved to be super good at dealing with one thing at a time.
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