Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett

don't hold to that view anymore because for the most part, there are many, many ways to inherit things. And a lot of what we think of as inheritance is really more what's called epigenetic, meaning it doesn't really involve DNA very much. And I would say, the way I like to say it is that we have the kinds of nature that requires a nurture.

don't hold to that view anymore because for the most part, there are many, many ways to inherit things. And a lot of what we think of as inheritance is really more what's called epigenetic, meaning it doesn't really involve DNA very much. And I would say, the way I like to say it is that we have the kinds of nature that requires a nurture.

We have the kind of genes that require experience before anything is wired into our brains. And most of our characteristics work that way. Very few characteristics work just by genes alone. What always happens in a neurotypical brain is that you're born with your brain incomplete, right? An adult brain has, we say that it's wired to its world. That world includes your own body.

We have the kind of genes that require experience before anything is wired into our brains. And most of our characteristics work that way. Very few characteristics work just by genes alone. What always happens in a neurotypical brain is that you're born with your brain incomplete, right? An adult brain has, we say that it's wired to its world. That world includes your own body.

But a baby's brain is not a miniature adult brain. It's a brain that's waiting for wiring instructions from the world and from its own body. So your brain is wired for you to see out of eyes that are the exact distance of your eyes. from each other. If somehow, you know, magically we could transplant your brain into somebody else's skull, you would not be able to see out of that skull.

But a baby's brain is not a miniature adult brain. It's a brain that's waiting for wiring instructions from the world and from its own body. So your brain is wired for you to see out of eyes that are the exact distance of your eyes. from each other. If somehow, you know, magically we could transplant your brain into somebody else's skull, you would not be able to see out of that skull.

You would not be able to see out of those eyes because they're not in the right place. You hear with ears, your ability to hear comes from signals that are shaped by the shape of your ear. So your brain is wired to hear out of these ears, not any ears, these ears. Similarly, you, as a baby, you are taught the meanings of physical signals. You're taught how to make sense of these things.

You would not be able to see out of those eyes because they're not in the right place. You hear with ears, your ability to hear comes from signals that are shaped by the shape of your ear. So your brain is wired to hear out of these ears, not any ears, these ears. Similarly, you, as a baby, you are taught the meanings of physical signals. You're taught how to make sense of these things.

That's called cultural inheritance. Many things that we think of as hardwired into the brain are actually culturally inherited across generations. That's how people survive in a particular environment. You know, so like in the 1800s and 1900s when explorers would go off and they would go off to Antarctica or here or there and they would very quickly die. The Inuit lived there.

That's called cultural inheritance. Many things that we think of as hardwired into the brain are actually culturally inherited across generations. That's how people survive in a particular environment. You know, so like in the 1800s and 1900s when explorers would go off and they would go off to Antarctica or here or there and they would very quickly die. The Inuit lived there.

They lived perfectly fine. Well, because they had culturally inherited knowledge. We're always transmitting knowledge to each other. And that knowledge becomes fodder for our own predictions. So your predictions don't just come from your personal experience. They also come from you watching television, you talking to guests, you reading books, watching movies.

They lived perfectly fine. Well, because they had culturally inherited knowledge. We're always transmitting knowledge to each other. And that knowledge becomes fodder for our own predictions. So your predictions don't just come from your personal experience. They also come from you watching television, you talking to guests, you reading books, watching movies.

Also, your brain, like most human brains, can do something really fantastic, which is You can take bits and pieces of past experience and put them together in a brand new way so that you can use the past to experience something new that you've never experienced before.

Also, your brain, like most human brains, can do something really fantastic, which is You can take bits and pieces of past experience and put them together in a brand new way so that you can use the past to experience something new that you've never experienced before.

It completely makes sense.

It completely makes sense.

Yes. I would say it slightly differently, but the message is the same. I think... there are in the sensory present, right? There are sights, there are sounds, there are smells, some stuff's going on inside your own body, right? And these signals are going to your brain. They have no inherent psychological meaning. They have no inherent emotional meaning. They have no inherent mental meaning.

Yes. I would say it slightly differently, but the message is the same. I think... there are in the sensory present, right? There are sights, there are sounds, there are smells, some stuff's going on inside your own body, right? And these signals are going to your brain. They have no inherent psychological meaning. They have no inherent emotional meaning. They have no inherent mental meaning.

What gives them meaning is are your memories from the past. You are creating, you are a meaning maker. Meaning isn't a set of features like a dictionary definition. So the meaning of this cup isn't that it's made of metal. I mean, we certainly can talk about those features, but the meaning of this cup in this moment is what I do with it. So it could be a vessel for drinking. It could be a weapon.

What gives them meaning is are your memories from the past. You are creating, you are a meaning maker. Meaning isn't a set of features like a dictionary definition. So the meaning of this cup isn't that it's made of metal. I mean, we certainly can talk about those features, but the meaning of this cup in this moment is what I do with it. So it could be a vessel for drinking. It could be a weapon.