> How do progressively higher levels in a neural net selectively combine > signals into mappings? My dog isn't going to tell me how she selects an > item to steal & march around with, but if I could probe neurons in her brain > I might find one that fires for large but lightweight soft things like > pillows, paper towels, and so on.
Glen writes: "I agree. But I think it's important to emphasize that those neurons are an integral part of the sensorimotor complex. It's a bit of a false dichotomy to distinguish "thoughts" from teeth and tongue." On the other hand, she could choose to push over the container with her food in it or grab the bag of treats. The preferred soft objects are apparently for entertainment and social purposes, which is distinct and more abstract than mastication and satiation. But yes, they are something she can be agile in manipulating. She can jump over the couch with a roll of paper towels in her mouth. Not so with a coffee cup or heavy bone. What she prefers is constrained by her physical strength, and potential skeletal and tissue vulnerabilities. Marcus ============================================================ FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College to unsubscribe http://redfish.com/mailman/listinfo/friam_redfish.com FRIAM-COMIC http://friam-comic.blogspot.com/ by Dr. Strangelove
