/The brain is a neural net. It "learns" and then categorizes each new stimulus through 'classifiers' or paths it must take. In order words, You can take a brain and then train it to react to certain stimuli. With the brain thus trained, you can predict future outputs. How does this all relate?
The brain is THE nueral net, not "a nueral net". The main point in the differentiation being that it isn't just some programmable device because of it's internal feedback. You can program it for something and eventually it just does it's own thing despite your programming. What I'm getting at is basically what you've said, but kind of uhm.. well, more involved in the sense that I'm looking at it from an organizational/functional/subjective stance. I'm trying to dissect it from the inside out on a conceptual level. I'm hoping this could yeild insight as to the bio-mechanical processes in terms of large-scale interactions (not the function of an nueron, but how they function together).
Further re-iterated, I'm really attemping is to see how the brain uses it's input and feedback cycle to create a mind rather than just a lifeless nueral net. I'm brazen enough to think I might actually have some real insight.
/I have a couple of question about your idea:
/1. About the notion of the 'mind' and how it sifts through all these patterns-- as you call them and then creates a response.
Well, I was just saying that to YOU they are patterns (and to me). Your exprience is abstracted into concepts via your input and your "lense" which I suppose is the "poise" of your mind as it processes input. It's really that you've shaped your conceptual inter-relationships over time. As input is experienced, this inter-relationship is the reference point for abstraction.
/If the brain is in essence a machine, then what is the control of the brain?
From my perspective the brain can be seen as (oh this sounds whack) "an organ that bridges from space-time to the abstract". Hmm. Now that I think about it, "that which is abstract" really only makes sense subjectively - so a mind is in essence nature's way of embodiment of this principle, accessed through random mutation of species. Possibility is explored as time progresses. Abstraction is/was possible, and now simply IS (in a tao kind of way) since nature jacked around for billions of years and happened upon it via it's creation of minds.
/Is the brain "dead' before one emereges from the womb? No. So what is this machine that you call the mind that somehow differentaiates what lies between the subconscious and the conscious?
It is the culmination of the subjective experience. While babies just from the womb do have brains, their "minds" are only potential at that point. A sense of self (realization that they are separate from their environment) follows in the first six months. It's amazing (and tiresome) to watch. You can percieve if you're equipped and paying attention. Something in the eyes.
/2. How do altered states of consciounesses play to this?
Heh, I told you about that before with pot, did you forget? Fucking stoner.
/3. On time: The brain recognizes time and thinks of concepts such as the past and the future. Does recognizing these play into how the mind computes?
Uhm.... yes. It's a subjective deal though. It effects you (on a conscious level) in the way you've become accustomed to being affected by it. I'm not sure that's what you were asking.
The more sub-conscious aspects of it are more mechanistic I'd think. I think of it as a two-fold time-code (like on video tape except biological). There is the whole internal clock deal and the "circadian time" doo-hicky. The brain is intimately in tune with both.
/If I have an idea, I can delay the exploration of this idea. How does the mind handle conscious delays?
Internal markers or 'chits' or however you like to think of it. Basically like writing yourself a note. You stash it in short term memory and hope it regurgitates when you want it to... or you find and interest which creates a divot between two concepts, then as you're scanning over those concepts in your mind again you remember the divot you put there from the thing that struck your interest. Different people do it different ways.
/It cannot be pushed to the subconcious. There must be multiple layers.
Yeah, I don't think "subconscious" is a good term a lot of the time. I do believe consciousness has a lot of layers. We'll have to discuss that. Seems to me that there is a continuum from your direct focus to the unconscious.
/4. Epiphanies.
Epiphanies are basically when you have a ton of open ended concepts that are all answered by the same realization. Let's think of it as a traffic scenario. You have built 100 partial roads. The all have traffic but the traffic has nowhere to go. Your epiphany allows all the traffic to move smoothly all of the sudden. Bad analogy. We can delve deeper if you'd like.
/5. Expand on the notion of subjective time in the present a bit.
In what context? I'm sorry but all my shit is relative to all the other shit I put near it. Quote me and I'll be able to explain much easier.
/6. Will the machine that is the brain only work if given a stimulus?
Hehe, uhm yes, but with no stimulous you'll never develop your mind.