29th January 2006, 12:08 PM
More is known than you realize, unfortunately it's all debated. You have the realist views in combat with the 'magical' views (who say its 'too complicated' to understand) and then you have factual evidence which is very thin but proves many of the theorized workings of all brain structures.
The biggest problem is trying to figure out the odd portion of the human brain that for all accounts looks very weak in comparison to the rest of the brain but this is that fabled '10%' you hear about. Other hominids (and to an extent some marine mammals) have this layer but not in proportions that we do, it's almost like a budding portion portion of th brain found in higher mammals (like us) that never fully forms. Current theory is that it's a transitional period in to what will eventually come a full-fledged new layer of the brain, other theories suggest its simply there to help the animal work in an advanced social structure while operating independently (unlike other advanced social animals like ants which rely on a master or primary member to conduct the group). I'm leaning more towards the latter, too bad the rest of human civilization still thinks there has to be one given leader in order function.
But this malformed layer has nothing to do with puzzle solving or decision making or the often claimed "ability to reason" which all living things have. Instead this portion of the brain seems to act like a buffer for thinking out of the box, it's in this portion of the brain in higher mammals where 'imagination' happens, when people first aqcuired this layer somewhere between erectus and sapien we started inventing ideas of afterlife and increasing 'luck' by sacrificing or begging to higher powers than what is known. So basically, once this layer of brain formed, we started advanced imagination and creating new realities either for purposes of religion, story telling or even applied to practical thinking as in how to hunt much larger or dangerous animals, how to keep hidden and how to stay in one place and keep the society functioning without everything falling a part.
It's litteraly the mushy buffer for rational logical thought, it thinks illogically to allow for new paradigms of thought and it's what we use (just as an example) when viewing art.
But as far as simple brain functions or brain functions of lower animals we have a pretty good knowledge base to justify the creation of a digital one and like was previously said it will give us clues in to how the higher brain functions work and allow us the opportunity to see a physically working brain to give us more insight in to how to raise our children and function in society on an even more advanced level (less violent, more prosperous, better ideals of goals, less confusing, etc)
The biggest problem is trying to figure out the odd portion of the human brain that for all accounts looks very weak in comparison to the rest of the brain but this is that fabled '10%' you hear about. Other hominids (and to an extent some marine mammals) have this layer but not in proportions that we do, it's almost like a budding portion portion of th brain found in higher mammals (like us) that never fully forms. Current theory is that it's a transitional period in to what will eventually come a full-fledged new layer of the brain, other theories suggest its simply there to help the animal work in an advanced social structure while operating independently (unlike other advanced social animals like ants which rely on a master or primary member to conduct the group). I'm leaning more towards the latter, too bad the rest of human civilization still thinks there has to be one given leader in order function.
But this malformed layer has nothing to do with puzzle solving or decision making or the often claimed "ability to reason" which all living things have. Instead this portion of the brain seems to act like a buffer for thinking out of the box, it's in this portion of the brain in higher mammals where 'imagination' happens, when people first aqcuired this layer somewhere between erectus and sapien we started inventing ideas of afterlife and increasing 'luck' by sacrificing or begging to higher powers than what is known. So basically, once this layer of brain formed, we started advanced imagination and creating new realities either for purposes of religion, story telling or even applied to practical thinking as in how to hunt much larger or dangerous animals, how to keep hidden and how to stay in one place and keep the society functioning without everything falling a part.
It's litteraly the mushy buffer for rational logical thought, it thinks illogically to allow for new paradigms of thought and it's what we use (just as an example) when viewing art.
But as far as simple brain functions or brain functions of lower animals we have a pretty good knowledge base to justify the creation of a digital one and like was previously said it will give us clues in to how the higher brain functions work and allow us the opportunity to see a physically working brain to give us more insight in to how to raise our children and function in society on an even more advanced level (less violent, more prosperous, better ideals of goals, less confusing, etc)