Posted on 08/21/2018 5:21:00 AM PDT by LibWhacker
What is the core function of a healthy adaptive brain? This researcher says its function is not merely to sort the input of our senses, but to create predictive models based on the cumulative weight of that input. This hypothesis strikes me as rather obvious and thus not entirely insightful. Though that’s plainly not an opinion shared by many, who believe an orderly brain is one that disregards its own predicted models in favor of those espoused by the Huffington Post.
Here’s how the article described the function of this seemingly tertiary organ.
The main purpose of the brain, as we understand it today, is it is basically a prediction machine that is optimising its own predictions of the environment it is navigating through. So, vision starts with an expectation of what is around the corner. Once you turn around the corner, you are then negotiating potential inputs to your predictions – and then responding differently to surprise and to fulfilment of expectations.
‘So that’s what’s called the predictive processing framework, and it’s a proposed unifying theory of the brain. It’s basically creating an internal model of what’s going to happen next.’
So a functioning brain is one that forms accurate models about what it will actually see next. Such as a bushman on the Serengeti whose brain predicts he will soon see the inside of a lion’s intestinal tract upon realizing one is in full sprint for his neck. This model is one likely to incentivize enthusiastic flight, and thus result in a bushman who lives to model another day. In contrast, inaccurate models about lion behavior tend to have a suppressive effect on bushman longevity. More interesting is the fact that this effect is noted even where inaccurate models are socially mandated.
But how does this apply in a sense relevant to us?
You have forward models, so while you’re cycling, you predict the trajectory of the cars, of your own movement on the entire world, in real time. You update your predictions (of) the future model that you create in order to cycle through the city without being run over.
‘These models are very good because you have this experience, and only now and then you need to update these models, or you update them (in real time) because you’re turning a corner. So you’re updating with your memory, your predictions, and a slight slip of the internal model comes about because you’re surprised: “Oh it’s not this street.” So, while you’re cycling, you’re negotiating a future model with another future model because you’re updating these creations of your predictions.’
So for instance if you suddenly found yourself cycling through East St. Louis at night, your model would need to be updated to predict the cost of your mortician. And while your model is ingesting that input, you’re negotiating a future model that asks “What if everywhere was East St. Louis?” This inducing a motivation that everywhere not be East St. Louis, thus prompting proselytizing such that others will share your conviction. Fortunately, your predictive brain alerts you to the fact that expressing this preference for a non ESL world is likely to result in social shaming, harassment, and unemployment. So your brain negotiates this hurdle by accurately predicting that parroting false platitudes about diversity will enable sufficient income to subsidize a life far away from it. The most common camouflage for these revealed preferences is called Good Schools.
And that is the true marvel of man’s predictive brain. He can anticipate what subterfuge and signaling are necessary to pretend that his mind has accurately modeled nothing whatsoever. Thus, like a canny opossum, the modern brain protects itself by playing dead.
It’s quite an interesting adaptation…until everywhere is East St. Louis.
LOL so they are renaming ESP ?
Sharp humor.
“So a functioning brain is one that forms accurate models about what it will actually see next”
He ain’t playing. His brain didn’t see the car coming...
Great read!
That's how language fluency works. Like autofill in computer programs.
I've read however that most of the brain is taken up with regulating bodily functions, rather than processing thoughts.
Entirely different.
Just to be less abstract, and more precise.
LOL, I was trying to figure out a way to shape some witty comment until I saw yours...
Framed in a criticism of Leftist ideology, that analogy matches quite well.
They didn’t see the car coming on November 8, 2016.
One major problem with this model.... The brain is merely a transmission and receiver between the stimuli received by the senses and consciousness which is a component making up the human soul. When a person is “born of the spirit” or “awakened” they first begin to receive stimulus directly by their consciousness rather than only through sensory stimulation.
Programming or learning works both emotionally through the feminine aspect of consciousness and logically through the masculine aspect. An emotion as I define it is” A feeling based upon the expectation of a future event as a result of a past perceived experience. Perception is much more important than the actual reality when it come to programming events.
I physically feel these stored memories in a person’s soul and thus read a person’s life history by walking up to them. It’s instant depth psychology.
“So for instance if you suddenly found yourself cycling through East St. Louis at night,...”
If I ever suddenly found myself cycling through East St. Louis at night I would never touch another drop again.
“The Possom Brain”
Maybe they can figure out the democrat brain although opossums are much smarter.
Other articles of said that we have two brains or rather another type of brain which is called our stomach.
Buddha talks about people who are “monkey brained” and who need to develop insights and self-fulfillment in order to reject those thoughts which are associated with animal debased behavior because animals have no moral compass. And after observation Buddha surmised that monkeys were the most debased of all!
And now this theoretical musing, which I guess seeks to establish a reasoning that we unconsciously prepare ourselves mentally for worst case scenarios... sounds like situational awareness to me.
“monkey brained” is the busy unsettled rambling mind that wanders all over the place and lacks discipline.
LOL, so true. And they still haven’t figured it what hit them.
The odds of that happening to me are like 10 digits to the right of the decimal.
"I physically feel these stored memories in a person’s soul and thus read a person’s life history by walking up to them."
LOL
If every sensible person living in a liberal hell hole just up and moves, all it means is that the liberal hell holes are allowed to fester and start metastasizing across the US.
Eventually to takeover even Texas ... or other supposed Edens ... as well.
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