Configurations and the Brain

[davidelkins]

Could it be that objects are represented in the brain as configurations of neurons, where those configurations of neurons take on the exact shape of the object in question? So for example, what if there were a configuration of neurons in the shape of a chair? Could the shapes of these configurations be representations or at least have real effect? Of course, a person can form any shape from any random set of neurons in the brain. The possibilities are limitless. This is similar to design-your-own constellation in the night sky. DE

 

[origin]

Could it be that objects are represented in the brain as configurations of neurons, where those configurations of neurons take on the exact shape of the object in question? So for example, what if there were a configuration of neurons in the shape of a chair? Could the shapes of these configurations be representations or at least have real effect? Of course, a person can form any shape from any random set of neurons in the brain. The possibilities are limitless. This is similar to design-your-own constellation in the night sky. DE

Why in the world would your neurons arrange themselves in the shape of a chair? How could they arrange themselves in the shape of a chair? Wouldn't that take a large amount of time to for your brain to rearrange neurons? Your brain would be undulating like two bulldogs fighting in a burlap sack....

 

[davidelkins]

Why in the world would your neurons arrange themselves in the shape of a chair? How could they arrange themselves in the shape of a chair? Wouldn't that take a large amount of time to for your brain to rearrange neurons? Your brain would be undulating like two bulldogs fighting in a burlap sack....

A random array of neurons would have many configurations of neurons that are already in the shape of a chair. At that point those configuration would simply be adopted, rather than necessarily reordering to achieve a chair formation. This is all wild conjecture of course, just one consideration amongst many. DE

 

[exchemist]

A random array of neurons would have many configurations of neurons that are already in the shape of a chair. At that point those configuration would simply be adopted, rather than necessarily reordering to achieve a chair formation. This is all wild conjecture of course, just one consideration amongst many. DE

Do you think a digital camera computer arranges its semiconductor switches in the shape of a chair, when it stored a picture of one in its memory?

Could it be that objects are represented in the brain as configurations of neurons, where those configurations of neurons take on the exact shape of the object in question? So for example, what if there were a configuration of neurons in the shape of a chair? Could the shapes of these configurations be representations or at least have real effect? Of course, a person can form any shape from any random set of neurons in the brain. The possibilities are limitless. This is similar to design-your-own constellation in the night sky. DE

I should have thought almost certainly not. Suggest reading this, about how digital images are represented in computers etc: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_image

While I'm not saying the brain will do it the same way as a computer does, you will note it is not necessary to recreate a miniature version of the image, in order to store the information about the image.

 

[timojin]

A random array of neurons would have many configurations of neurons that are already in the shape of a chair. At that point those configuration would simply be adopted, rather than necessarily reordering to achieve a chair formation. This is all wild conjecture of course, just one consideration amongst many. DE

I suppose there have to be some permanent or position to separate long term memory from short ter and the short term might have a random configuration, and there will be some more more permanent which will give us an immediate recall of items more frequent data in usage.