Neurological research has made amazing strides in recent years. Enough is now known about what specific brain areas do to make it possible to start examining how various parts of the brain interact. What is missing is a general theory of cognition to tie all of this information together. Back in the 1980s, a cognitive theory was developed that began with a system of cognitive styles and was expanded through an in-depth study of biographies. It was discovered at that time that this theory mapped in a general way onto the brain. This cognitive theory, known as the theory of mental symmetry, has recently been tested as a meta-theory by using it to analyze a number of fields and theories dealing with human thought and behavior. This paper shows that personality traits that were discovered by mental symmetry correspond in detail to the functioning of brain regions described in current neurological papers. In brief, the cognitive model suggests that there are seven cognitive styles: There are four simple styles, and there are three composite styles that combine the thinking of the simple styles. Two of the simple styles use emotions and emphasize a circuit composed of orbitofrontal cortex, inferior frontal cortex, temporal lobe, and amygdala, with one in the left hemisphere and the other in the right hemisphere. The other two simple styles use confidence and emphasize a circuit consisting of dorsolateral frontal cortex, frontopolar cortex, parietal cortex, and hippocampus, again with one in the left hemisphere and the other in the right hemisphere. The three composite styles form a processing chain. The first composite style combines the two simple emotional styles and emphasizes the ventral striatum, and dopamine. This leads to the second composite style, which combines the two simple confidence styles and emphasizes the anterior cingulate, the dorsal striatum, and serotonin. This is followed by the third composite style which balances the functioning of the mind and emphasizes the thalamus and noradrenaline.

A mental network can be thought of as an emotionally imposed schema. The first part of this paper suggests that the mental network provides an integrated explanation for the diverse functions of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, and that mental networks provide the building blocks for self and Theory of Mind. The second part of the paper combines the mental network with the idea that theories generate emotions to provide an integrated explanation for paradigms, ideologies, sweeping statements, mysticism, theology, fundamentalism, conspiracy theories, and various concepts of God.

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Economics is typically regarded as a collection of partially related theories. However, if economics is analyzed from a cognitive perspective, then it becomes evident that these theories form a cognitively natural, coherent package. The theory of mental symmetry is a cognitive model based in seven interacting cognitive modules. This theory is used to analyze most of the fundamental concepts of micro- and macroeconomics, as well as behavioral economics and neuroeconomics. Economics can be explained primarily as a focus upon the interaction between the cognitive module that provides motivation and the cognitive module that emphasizes choice. Economics recognizes the existence of other cognitive modules but regards them as outside of the realm of economics. A fuller cognitive picture can be gained by including the activity of these other cognitive modules. Going further, a cognitive basis for the institutions of macroeconomics can be found by viewing these institutions from the perspective of abstract technical thought.

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