The brain has to be set up in such a way that we can perceive and understand all of these aspects of the external world. Basic brain functions are called "cognitive operators" (d'Aquili 1978). A cognitive operator is a function of either a specific brain structure or a group of brain structures working in conjunction to help us order our reality. We have identified seven cognitive operators: Holistic Operator, Reductionistic Operator, Causal Operator, Abstractive Operator, Binary Operator, Quantitative Operator, and Emotional Value Operator.

The Holistic Operator takes all of the particulars that we might experience and creates a sense of the general or holistic nature of the particulars. There are many instances, both in the sciences as well as in other academic pursuits, when an investigator will examine how the parts make up the whole. The Holistic Operator also plays an important role in everyday life, particularly in relation to aesthetics, myth, and religious experience. The Reductionistic Operator has a function that is opposite that of the Holistic Operator, it takes the whole and breaks it down into its individual parts. Science is particularly dependent on the functioning of the Reductionistic Operator. The Causal Operator helps us to observe causality and to relate one event to another in a sequential ordering. The Abstractive Operator allows us to generate abstract concepts - for example, that objects such as an elm, spruce, and oak can be categorized as "trees". The Binary Operator helps us generate a sense of opposites such that we can compare the concepts good and evil or right and wrong. This operator has particular relevance to religious and aesthetic experiences and particularly to myth formation. Religious myths tend to involve opposites that are in some form of conflict, which is then resolved through the myth (d'Aquili 1978). Likewise, many aesthetic works make use of opposites, such as light and dark or wholeness and fragmentation, which are brought together to comprise the work. When we initially observe a pair of opposites, we encounter a sense of arousal because of the incongruity between the opposites. We desire a resolution and revised understanding because of the Holistic Operator. Thus, in art, in particular, the "tense and happy indecision" (Schaible 1998) may be directly related to the functioning of the Binary Operator. These tensions enhance activity in the arousal system initially, with quiescent activity being stimulated upon resolution of the opposites within either a myth or an aesthetic work. The Quantitative Operator is involved in the generation of numbers and quantity. Thus, whenever we observe objects in the external world, we have a tendency to try to determine how many there are. Finally, the Emotional Value Operator connects the limbic system to the other operators and provides an emotional response to all of the input and thoughts that we have. This Operator tells us how we feel about everything. In order to do this, the Emotional Value Operator must be able to connect to all the other operators. Clearly, this operator is crucial for the emotional response people have during aesthetic and religious experiences.

The Creative Brain / The Creative Mind
by Andrew B. Newberg and Eugene G. d'Aquili

Zygon, vol 35, no 1 (March 2000)

It would be very useful to develop/refine tools that exercise all these brain operators. We already have The Three Magicians and Five-Element Analysis methods to engage most of them. The Binary Operator probably relates to dilemma formulation, while The 10x Diagram taps into The Quantitative Operator. The only thing that is missing is The Emotional Value Operator. This is where the Red Hat from the Six Thinking Hats method might be very useful.