The brain seems to work on symbols of goals. The brain and body are closely related or integrated. The body sends signals to brain and brain sends impulses or extracts hormone. When the body needs energy for metabolism it triggers part of the brain that controls appetite. This is the symbol of 'get food' and when this symbol gets into the mental process, we began to choose the kind of food to eat. If we choose pizza or burger, it is the final decision to answer the signal 'get food'.
So, eating pizza or burger is not the initial instruction. The 'get food' is the initial instruction. The same organization also apply for other activities like 'find mate' or 'avoid danger'. This organization also shows level of process that are symbolic level and logical level.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Chasing the unified design
To me the brain (from the insect's brain to man's brain) is like an engineering master piece. Take a fly for example. Its brain responsible for its daily problem: find food, find mate, sense the environment, fly, avoid obstacle, avoid danger. All those activities are done by that small brain in that small creature. So small in size and so great in function and yet we can't duplicate it in a single computer.
I understand that the brain perform all its functions at the same time. I also understand that brain (especially our brain, because I never know what a fly thinks) has modules for specific task like module to see, hear, move muscles, think, motivate, make decision, learn, speak, read, memorize. Those modules work together in a complex way. Read a book for example: we recall memories, make plan to implement what the author suggest, analyze to agree or disagree with the author's suggestion or opinion, eat potato chips and maybe listen to music. We do it all at the same time, simultaneously.
Take people around the world. We are build from almost the same design (our DNA sequence). From that design come diversity which is shown on cultures and characters. To me, that means there are one unified design of the brain and that unified design deals with everything and yields various output.
... and maybe, non human brains also made from the same design with different settings and features. Because not only human that look for food, mate, protect them self.
I understand that the brain perform all its functions at the same time. I also understand that brain (especially our brain, because I never know what a fly thinks) has modules for specific task like module to see, hear, move muscles, think, motivate, make decision, learn, speak, read, memorize. Those modules work together in a complex way. Read a book for example: we recall memories, make plan to implement what the author suggest, analyze to agree or disagree with the author's suggestion or opinion, eat potato chips and maybe listen to music. We do it all at the same time, simultaneously.
Take people around the world. We are build from almost the same design (our DNA sequence). From that design come diversity which is shown on cultures and characters. To me, that means there are one unified design of the brain and that unified design deals with everything and yields various output.
... and maybe, non human brains also made from the same design with different settings and features. Because not only human that look for food, mate, protect them self.
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