The Origin of Minds: Evolution, Uniqueness, and the New Science of the Self

Homeostasis: Why We Can't Change?
I think this self-regulating function “homeostasis” is an interesting physiological phenomenon. The author gives us a good example of homeostasis: it’s like a thermostat. When I read this example, I came up with my weight. Each of us has a specific desirable weight, for example, for me, the range from 56 to 58 kilogram is my healthy weight. Therefore, if my weight exceeds 58 kilogram or falls below 56 kilogram, my weight automatically falls within my desirable weight range. This is my experience. 

However, some people may go over or down too much their healthy range, and their function of homeostasis doesn’t seem to work well… At first, I took for granted that this phenomenon was a case of failure of homeostasis. But, after thinking deeply, I came to think that this phenomenon may also be one example of homeostasis. Perhaps, once we set a desirable weight over or under the healthy range and we feel comfortable with the new weight unconsciously, it is may be very difficult for us to change the weight into proper weight because homeostasis makes us keep the new weight. I suppose that we have not only physiological homeostasis but also “psychological” homeostasis… Thus, psychological homeostasis may become a key factor when we attempt to transform or change.