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15 Sep What is Inside Neurons?

Intracellular Structure of Neurons In earlier posts, we examined the brain, its areas, and the types of neurons that populate the different layers of some of the brain’s areas. In this post and more to follow, we will turn up the magnification and look a little deeper. What can be seen inside the cells? What […]

05 Sep Brain Form and Function

Brain Cross Section Showing the Temporal Lobe

Functional Morphology I’ve addressed questions related to modeling form, function and process in an earlier post. Today’s post drills down in some specific areas to point out some important connections between form and function that could contribute to engineering systems that more accurately model the human brain. Paul Churchland suggests that many AI initiatives have […]

30 Aug Eclecticism and Cognitive Modeling

Silos and Walls

Cognitive Science Hybrids in plants and automobiles are great. Perhaps in computers and apps as well. I have always thought of myself as deeply interested in the “cross-pollination of ideas.” This includes, when appropriate, snipping sequences and splicing to create genetically modified innovations.  The posts in the Understanding Context blog span the knowledge and theories […]

29 Aug Layers of Brain Complexity

Cells In Cerebrum 6 Layers

Hierarchy: A Structural Aspect of Thought The complexity of the cerebrum is necessitated by its function as the center of cognition. Before looking at cerebral structure, consider some of the functions of thought. Thinking involves accessing memory to find what perceived data is stored, what other data in memory it is associated with, and what is the […]

29 Aug Black Boxes: Specialized Areas of the Brain

Black Box

The Black Box Black Box is a term used to describe a mechanical device that does something inside, but whose functions are not visible from the outside. Specialized areas of the brain may operate as black boxes. Activation flows in and activation flows out, and what happens inside may have no direct affect on other […]

28 Aug Sensory Input to the Brain

Cranial Nerve

Part of the definition of any computer program is defining the inputs and outputs, where they come from, what they are and where they get processed. Fortunately, we know enough about the brain to answer many of these questions, thus we have a basis for defining artificial models that, in some way, mimic these elements of […]

23 Aug Specialized Instruments – Brain Areas

Brodmann map

Finding Functions on a Map Much of what we know about the functions of areas of the brain was discovered by Korbinian Brodmann in the early 1900s. He mapped the brain by sticking in many electrodes, eliciting cognitive responses such as making a sound or showing an image to trigger perception, and monitoring electrical activity. Now, […]

21 Aug How Do You Think?

Activated Network

Weighing the Options As part of my quest for the truly intelligent system, I have invested much in investigating and attempting to describe how people think. I am particularly concerned with how people integrate multiple ideas or constraints into their thinking and decision-making processes. More ideas help make better decisions: consider my posts on exformation and […]

18 Aug Neuromorphic Computing

Inside a Neuron

To Mimic is Human When is imitation not flattering or sincere? I try to be sincere in my blogging, and I have tried not to unnecessarily emphasize the computing ability of the human brain, but the whole point of this blog is to imitate it using computers. A neuromorphic (resembling the brain and/or neurons) computing  model […]

17 Aug Stimuli

Cybernetic Eye

Responses to Stimuli When we speak of computational systems, we use words like “input” and “output” and “program“. When computers become able to communicate, understand and process knowledge in context, will we use different words: words that are more anthropomorphic? I’ve been playing with anthropomorphic concepts with MIPUS. In today’s post I will draw us […]