The algorithm behind human reason and thought

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Any thoughts? Any ideas? The behavior of individual neurons is somewhat known, as are the overall parts of the brain, but how does it all connect? The brain can be seen as operating based on an algorithm, if the behavior of individual neurons is translated into steps in an algorithm based on laws of physics. But what is the bare essence - the algorithm expressed in simplest terms - of the brain, which allows us to reason and think as we do? Or does the brain have irreducible complexity, and any attempts to alter it to see how much it can be altered whilst retaining reason will in fact radically change its function?

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human reasoning always follows A -> B i.e. if then else approach.

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Re: The algorithm behind human reason and thought

averner wrote:

The brain can be seen as operating based on an algorithm, if the behavior of individual neurons is translated into steps in an algorithm based on laws of physics.

I'm not convinced at all that the brain can be seen that way, unless you're playing arbitrary games with the word "algotrithm". According to Webster's dictionary, the word algorithm means

"a procedure for solving a mathematical problem (as of finding the greatest common divisor) in a finite number of steps that frequently involves repetition of an operation; [i]broadly[/i]: a step-by-step procedure for solving a problem or accomplishing some end especially by a computer " The brain doesn't solve any particular mathematical problem. And the procedure by which it operates is not step-by-step; on the contrary, its operation is highly parallel and even somewhat chaotic. Consequently, I'm very skeptical about your premise that the function of a brain can usefully be seen as an algorithm.

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Sorry, I meant algorithm in the broader sense of the word because I could not find a better term for what I meant.

What I meant is intelligence expressed as a set of formal rules. Although the rules may not be step-by-step in nature, they should be formal and programmable into a Von Neumann computer, since such are the rules of physics which the brain is based upon. Even if they are parallel and chaotic. The question I am asking is, whether the whole process can be simplified and still maintain most of its function?

As for "if->else", that does not tell the whole story, because it does not say how the brain determines what to compare and the possible courses of action in the first place.

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Well you asked about REASONING.

It is always A -> B

Memory is other section that helps providing A and B values.

So every AI system has Memory and Intelligence by reasoning as 2 distinct sections.

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yeah i made a javascript that uses this algorithm.

IF you change the contents of the textbox, THEN it adds it to the end of "no, " and makes it all caps and puts an exclaimation mark on the end.

the upshot of this is the simplest version of "eliza" i've ever seen:

"you suck"
"NO, YOU SUCK!"

"you do!"
"NO, YOU DO!!"

"your mother was a selectamatic"
"NO, YOUR MOTHER WAS A SELECTAMATIC!"

etc. yeah... i was bored.

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averner wrote:

The question I am asking is, whether the whole process can be simplified and still maintain most of its function?

What do you mean by "maintain most of its function"? Is the characteristic of the brain that it can be mapped onto a Turing machine, von Neuman computer, or whatever? Then the answer is "yes". Every subsystem of the brain, down to individual neurons and synapses, can be mapped onto a von Neuman computer, too.

Or is the "function" you mean that the brain solves mathematical problems (as Webster says an algorithm does)? In that case, my answer remains "not applicable". The brain isn't designed to solve any particular mathematical problem.

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tinygiraffe wrote:

yeah i made a javascript that uses this algorithm.

IF you change the contents of the textbox, THEN it adds it to the end of "no, " and makes it all caps and puts an exclaimation mark on the end.

the upshot of this is the simplest version of "eliza" i've ever seen:

"you suck"
"NO, YOU SUCK!"

"you do!"
"NO, YOU DO!!"

"your mother was a selectamatic"
"NO, YOUR MOTHER WAS A SELECTAMATIC!"

etc. yeah... i was bored.

lol

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Thomas wrote:

averner wrote:
The question I am asking is, whether the whole process can be simplified and still maintain most of its function?

What do you mean by "maintain most of its function"? Is the characteristic of the brain that it can be mapped onto a Turing machine, von Neuman computer, or whatever? Then the answer is "yes". Every subsystem of the brain, down to individual neurons and synapses, can be mapped onto a von Neuman computer, too.

Or is the "function" you mean that the brain solves mathematical problems (as Webster says an algorithm does)? In that case, my answer remains "not applicable". The brain isn't designed to solve any particular mathematical problem.

I mean in the first sense. My question is, once it is mapped onto a von Neumann computer, can it be simplified (parts of it taken out, or parts replaced with parts containing less code) and still be capable of a similar level of intelligence?

Just as y=(5*x-5)/5+1 can be simplified to y=x...

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"Our two minds .... One is an act of the emotional
mind, the other of the rational mind. In a very
real sense we have two minds, one that thinks and
one that feels" (Daniel Goleman, Emotional
Intelligence, Bloomsbury Publishing, London, 1996,
page 8). This rational mind is also called the
faculty of logic and reason. It deals with morals
and ethics.

The Upanishads say that these two are opposite in
nature. Modern psychologist also have observed it,
but they are not very sure about it:

"At the same time, reason sometimes clearly seems
to come into conflict with some desires (even
while not being in conflict with others) giving us
the impression that reason is separate from
emotion".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reason

The Upanishads call the emotional component of mind as
Chitta and the rational component of mind as Manas. The
nature of Manas changes with each and every perception
and it's understanding. Manas represents the
intellignce of a person. Manas processes information
according to the rules of algorithm - single channel
handling.

Note the observation by Mr. Thomas "...not step-by-step; on the
contrary, its operation is highly parallel and even somewhat chaotic....".
The Chitta (emotional mind) does the parallel processing
going through "tree structure" of data and trying to find the
"optimal" solution.

http://profvsprasad.blog.com/

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The algorithm behind human reason and thought

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