RE: RS

From: Chris Lofting (chrislofting@ozemail.com.au)
Date: Wed 17 May 2006 - 13:58:11 GMT

  • Next message: Chris Lofting: "RE: RS"

    > -----Original Message-----
    > From: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk [mailto:fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk] On Behalf
    > Of Derek Gatherer
    > Sent: Wednesday, 17 May 2006 10:41 PM
    > To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
    > Subject: RE: RS
    >
    > >And there WAS a nobel prize given for research into this area of synaptic
    > >dynamic - http://nobelprize.org/medicine/laureates/1963/eccles-bio.html
    > >
    >
    > John Eccles was not given his Noble prize for indentifying where
    > "instincts were encoded". Nobody knows where instincts are encoded
    > (presumably in the brain somewhere), but to say in "dendrite areas",
    > well, you're just making that up.
    >

    You obviously didn't go through the ref material supplied re post synaptic encoding etc. You can also search on "dendritic spine".

    The encoding of instincts/habits in these areas allow for context to push and so the life form conserves energy. An instinct/habit reflects a memory that is strongly set-down, universalised, and so is set-off by 'similar' context experiences or operates in any context as part of the species-specific behaviours. Thus genetic configurations combine with plasticity to develop 'habitual' behaviours together with 'instinctual' behaviours.

    Once the habit is developed so awareness is no longer required - we work off context pushing.

    What is suggested with collectives of neurons synchronising and acting as if one is that not only can some behaviour be localised but also distributed such that a 'partial' behaviour being encoded in dendrites of each member of the collective with the full expression requiring the collective to 'fire'.

    This is a common feature of visual processing where single neurons can be sensitive to line position that sum in a collective to give an 'image' in full as such.

    This also gets into 'flocking' behaviour based on local context dynamics eliciting a group behaviour not encoded in any single member of the group - be the group of birds or neurons or humans.

    IMHO you need to do a bit more reading than what you have and then think a bit as well. Who knows, being less grumpy you may even get a Nobel prize!
    ;-) (I have spoken with or have had email discussions with some and they all seem 'positive' rather than grumpy - perhaps the prize 'uplifts' them or maybe their positive attitude puts them in position to win the prize! ;-))

    Chris.

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