On Nov 22, 12:26 pm, Georges Metanomski <zg...@yahoo.com> wrote: > The chapter "MIND AND BRAIN" has been updated and uploaded to > > http://findgeorges.com/CORE/A_FOUNDATIONS/a3_mind_and_brain.html > > Comments welcome. > > Georges.
Interesting. It might be helpful to note that in extremity the brain is capable of processing information at rates far in excess of its "normal" rate. For example, as a 7th grader I was once so foolish as to attempt to light a campfire by pouring white gas from a plastic jug onto the very wet sticks in a slit trench campfire. Unknown to me, at the moment the gas was being poured, a person at the other end of the trench had decided to light some tinder to get the fire started. I had an instantaneous view of my hand holding just the handle of the jug within a fireball, and time enough to think only "BACK" as the fireball blossomed. From a squatting position, I did a backward somersault and escaped with just second degree and a small third degree burns on my right leg, which presumably was the only part actually touched by the fireball. I have no memory of what happened from the decision to get "BACK" until I was on the ground about twenty feet away, but am told that I either fell while running, or was tripped by my dad, depending upon who is telling the tale. The point is that with normal reaction speed, I doubt that I could possibly have jumped backward from that position in time to avoid having my torso and at least some of my other leg burned. There's nothing like a shot of adrenaline to get the brain in gear... Another thing which I noticed is that you seem to see the brain as a single processor with multiple nodes as in a neural network. I am just a layman, but I suspect that the truth is that there are many foci of processing, each focus of which is dedicated to processing dependent upon training and the situational state of the total brain. For example, while asleep and not dreaming, the activity is rather low, but when engaging in vigorous multi-dextrous physical activity (see YouTube video The Ventures - Wipeout - the drummer in particular), the different tasks are handled by different foci. From what little I have read in neurology, I suspect that any neurologist would agree. Because those different foci have shorter mean distances to their processor neural cells than would be the case if the brain were a single processor, results can be produced at far higher speed than simply N nodes times the speed of a uniprocessor neural net. For example speed = N nodes * brain radius / actual neuron mean activity path. The integration of information state based upon memory and inputs processing by a physical brain into mind/consciousness/awareness is not well understood so far as I know. If you could elaborate on that topic, then I at least would be pleased to read the text. Without getting metaphysical, I see no way to reconcile the processes except to invoke the much abused notion of emergent complexity... -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Epistemology" group. To post to this group, send email to epistemol...@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to epistemology+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/epistemology?hl=en.
