The empty brain – Your brain does not process information it is not a computer
2 days ago
- The human brain does not store copies of information, memories, or representations like a computer, as shown by examples such as the inability to accurately draw a dollar bill from memory.
- The information processing (IP) metaphor of the brain, dominant since the 1940s, is based on a faulty syllogism and lacks scientific validity, but is deeply entrenched in research and discourse.
- Human intelligence arises from unique neural changes shaped by experience, not from stored data or algorithms, making each brain individually distinct and challenging neuroscientific study.
- Alternative frameworks like 'anti-representational' views explain behavior through direct organism-world interaction, e.g., catching a baseball by maintaining a constant visual trajectory.
- The IP metaphor has led to misguided predictions about downloading consciousness to computers, which is impossible because brains have no software or persistent data copies.
- Major brain research projects like the EU's Human Brain Project have failed due to overreliance on the computer metaphor, highlighting the need for metaphor-free approaches.