What's The Point?

Bates questions classic Artificial Intelligence theory (”brain as computer”), as well as newer takes about how the mind emerges as a property of interactions/distributed processes. He explores Gestalt psychology and John von Neumann’s automata theory re: complex, nonmechanical behavior of living, acting organisms, arguing that in comparison the analogy between brains and computers is simplistic and must “differ considerably.”

Summary

• Introduction
• Brain Logic
• Insight Theory
• Somatic Insight
• Artificial Insight: von Neumann’s Flexible Automata
• There is a wholeness in recognizing a triangle, even when deeply distorted or ambiguous.
• von Neumann suggested “isomorphism,” idea similar to Gestaltists - if the brain is responsible for insights, don’t think about the exact logical pathways too hard because it’s not needed; just remember it’s a neural network with its own complicated logic that unifies nervous system and forms of thought.
  • “it is never simple to locate anything in the brain, because the brain has an enormous ability to re-organize.”
  • VERY RESILIENT
• He goes on to say that we can’t really rely on automaton, no automaton will be really reliable. In other words, RESILIENT.
• Invokes plasticity as a key feature for automaton. Fascinated by nervous system because it didn’t rely on digital messaging or any specific techniques for successful operation, therefore making it way more reliable. Its “unity” wasn’t fixed in a particular location; it was able to reorganize based on the function requirements!
• Overall, von Neumann points out that the automaton can only really do this if it has high flexibility, can watch itself, and reorganize when error is present. There is a logic of systematic order that makes these behaviors possible: “the parts could only take control if they had some inner connection to the principle structure of the whole organism.”
• Conclusion

Notable Quotes

Background Context