Combining Philosophers

Ideas for Herodotus and G Edelman / G Tononi

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2 ideas

18. Thought / D. Concepts / 2. Origin of Concepts / a. Origin of concepts
Concepts and generalisations result from brain 'global mapping' by 'reentry' [Edelman/Tononi, by Searle]
     Full Idea: When you get maps all over the brain signalling to each other by reentry you have what Edelman calls 'global mapping', and this allows the system not only to have perceptual categories and generalisation, but also to coordinate perception and action.
     From: report of G Edelman / G Tononi (Consciousness: matter becomes imagination [2000]) by John Searle - The Mystery of Consciousness Ch.3
     A reaction: This is the nearest we have got to a proper scientific account of thought (as opposed to untested speculation about Turing machines). Something like this account must be right. A concept is a sustained process, not a static item.
Concepts arise when the brain maps its own activities [Edelman/Tononi]
     Full Idea: We propose that concepts arise from the mapping by the brain itself of the activity of the brain's own areas and regions.
     From: G Edelman / G Tononi (Consciousness: matter becomes imagination [2000], Ch. 9)
     A reaction: Yes. One should add that the brain appears to be physically constructed with the logic of a filing system, which would mean that our concepts were labels for files within the system. Nature generates some of the files, and thinking creates the others.