Re: Koch on Quantum Consciousness

Lance <lachenicht@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Peter Ashby writes:

"Noone, yet again, is saying that they can. What I am saying is that
biological systems do not necessarily reduce to anything as simple as
is
described by maths as algorithms."

------------

Just what do you mean "reduce to"?

The function of certain neural circuits could well be to allow us to
recognise faces (say). They may do that by the equivalent of finding
principle components in the visual array that makes up the face as my
colleague claims. In that case they are using an algorithm (one much
loved by psychologists since the time of Charles Spearman in 1901) in
order to achieve a function (an end if you like) that is valuable to
us. In what sense then are they "reduced to" an algorithm?

The algorithm is not how they do what they do, it is something which we
use to understand how they do it. My car does not reduce to the Haymans
manual that describes it's parts, how it works and how to keep it
working. If that analagy doesn't help you understand the concept then
let me know and I'll try and come up with one you can understand.

peter

--
Add my middle initial to email me. It has become attached to a country
.

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