I have been immersed in computing and communications throughout my career.
As perhaps therefore somewhat of a “professional” in computing, I am very interested, as a layman in biology, in comparing and contrasting the parts and functions of a computer with the workings of the head, heart, hands, and memory, etc.. of the human body.
Scientists now know that our brain and mind contains a minute map of our body. In much the same way, the software of a computer (specifically its Operating System) contains a detailed map of the computer.
Very recently, our neuroscientists have solved the problem of why amputees can often still feel their amputated limb, or what ever it is, that has been amputated.
The reason is amazingly simple. The amputee loses his limb, or what not; but the representation of it is still in his brain. It is not removed by the amputation. Wires in the brain get crossed. A man scratches his chin and he believes he is scratching his amputated arm or leg.
Vital connections between computers and people are perhaps not surprising. Computers were invented by people. Subconsciously we have designed computers in our own image. There is much to be gained by our realising this.
The extremely important point to note in this case is that anyone in computing would have known about the representation of the limb. In the computer, they would have removed it. The doctors doing the operation however didn’t know this and didn’t remove it from the brain or, at least, they didn’t know how!
Very many such connections between computers and people are described in a book which I have written called,
A Philosophy of Information
(Information is the Power that Drives and Controls Us All)
My book is accessible entirely free on my personal Website;
http://www.theinformationstory.com/
More background to the book is given on my Publisher’s Website:
http://www.trafford.com/05-2299:
Some mention of the amputation problem and also of “referred pain after tooth extraction is made under the “Key to Reality” on page 5. Mention of people who sometimes cannot recognise parts of their own bodies (from Jay Ingram) which I labelled “Memory neglect” is also given on page 252 in Chapter 10, Information and States of Mind.
If anyone is interested in discussing with me any of the above topics, or indeed any of the many other issues raised in my book, - and, not least, how vulnerable are we in Information Age - I would love to engage with you.
Yours sincerely,
Infoman
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I don't think that I can contribute much in depth and certainly not before I've done a lot more reading but just a couple of things. About limb-loss memory my father had his lower leg amputated in consequence of an accident at work on the railway. This was in 1942, he lived for another 19 years and he often remarked on the phantom limb, sometimes of wanting to scratch it because of irritation. That would seem to suggest that brain circuitry was being simulated in some way. I don't recall any suggestion that by touching some other part of his body the phantom effect was provoked and I do not know whether the phenomenon continued through the rest of his life or petered out.
ReplyDeleteOn people living virtual lives where does this go beyond phantasy which, I would have thought without actually enquired for evidence, is commonplace if not universal, particularly sexual phantasies. I once heard a lady, a psychologist I seem to recall, talking of such phantasies with approval and pointing out that the phantasist is open to changing to some assumed personality or even to change gender.
The other thought that goes on from this is that, although it is not within my experience there is some folk wisdom that there are people who believe themselves to be Napoleon or some such and act accordingly - I think G K Chesterton wrote a story about such a person. Could there be a sort of Gaussian distribution of intensity of identification of 'normal' life with phantasy or inhabiting a virtual world, perhaps ranging from hardly any imagination at all through a median or mode where the subject can switch easily from 'real' to phantasy, going on to those who have lost touch with the reality which most of us accept and may have to be restrained for their own and other's safety.
Janvier
Blog No. 2: Computers & People
ReplyDeleteIn my first blog I said that “Computers are in the image of people”. Let me expound a little about what I mean.
1. Behind both computers and people is the force we call Electricity.
2. Both computers and people are used by and are driven by a most mysterious and all powerful part of a human being which we call our Brain and Mind.
3. The “stuff” which both our brain and mind work on is truly remarkable. You cannot see it; you cannot hear it; you cannot smell it, taste it, touch it or feel it. And yet, we need it and a computer needs it - to remember, to imagine, to do anything at all, - to invent, discover and do all the wonderful things of which we are now capable. We need it to think. Neither of us can function without it
In both human beings and computers, we call it memory. Memory itself is part of, and has all the qualities of, that endless, ubiquitous, intangible property of nature which we call information.
(Information - as described in my book “A Philosophy of Information” - Drives and Controls Us All)
Janvier in response to my first blog draws attention to the growing interest and practice in Virtual memory and Virtual Reality. Although this has many blessings in allowing us to experiment and learn much more about reality and the world in which we find ourselves, it has its dangers and perils of which we need to be aware.
(My book, pages 38-40; 332-333; 350; and 406 etc.)
Infoman
I am just beginning to read your book and I will be watching developments with interest.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteJust a short comments from Japan.
ReplyDeleteReading your very interesting book & your blog, "Japan is also very interested in studies of the brain and mind. It does a lot of very valuable work in this field. The Japan Neuroscience Society*, for example, may well have a view on some of the ideas in your book about microdots - i.e. your term for cellular memory - , and also your idea that memory circulates in the blood.
On page 150 of your book, you quote from Dr Pearsall's book - "The Heart's code" that, as a result of a heart transplant from a murder victim, the recipient of the heart was able to identify the murderer. I find this extremely interesting." Surely more & more people are very interested in this field & it is really fascinating & sometimes unbelievable.
Sakura
Your blog is intended to encourage discussion around the themes of your book and I have already admitted to not being able to add very much. However 'The philosophy of information ' has led me of to Douglas Hofstadter's 'I am a strange loop' which, the author says, is an update of 'Go(e)del, Escher and Bach' to which you refer. I have also got beyond Chapter 2 of Erwin Schro(e)dinger's 'What is life' which I was already struggling with before I opened 'The philosophy of information'.
ReplyDeleteFrom this and other readings I come back to the questions 'What is life' to which Erwin Schro(e)dinger did not provide an answer although he inspired some very clever people, Linus Pauling, Laurence Bragg, James Watson, Frances Crick, Psalind Franklin to pursue the search; 'What is conciousness' and 'What is 'I' '. The philosopher Colon McGinn said that we may be obliged to admit that there is a level of knowledge, comprehension, understanding which we cannot and may never be able to reach.
I look at the little wriggly worms who so helpfully devour the raw compost I dump on them in my compost bins and I flatter myself that, whilst I would not deny them a measure of knowledge, comprehension, understanding which they must have to do the things that they do, I do not think that their abilities equip them to think about grappling with Erwin Schro(e)dinger, Karl Go(e)del or Bernard Smith. I have still a long way to go with Douglas Hofstadter and have not got to his consideration of what he describes as a slippery concept of 'soul'. However he seems to have thta 'soul', that 'being' that 'I' as something of varying intensity, suggesting that for President Ronald Reagan, and others afflicted with dementia, whatever the 'I' was was gone before the body finally xceased to function. Which leaves me wondering whether my worms have some sort of 'I' of their own or is it a diminished version of whatever constitutes 'I' for beings of a species which has evolved to possess a massive specialise brain function.
I'll stop there, probably go off and cosult a few worms. Lewis Wolpert says that a fertilised human egg cell is not a 'being' - he has tried repeaedly to talk to such fertilised cells and has had no response.
Computers versus Brains
ReplyDeleteDear readers of my blog,
The following is a copy of my comments on Olivia Judson's excitng column yesterday in The New York Times:
Computers versus Brains
Olivia Judson - New York Times 2nd April 2009
Dear Olivia Judson,
Thank you immensely for your extremely exciting column on Computers versus Brains.
May I, please with some humility, draw your kind attention and that of your very thoughtful readers to my “Blog” called:
“Computers are in the Image of People”,
Which I was prompted to start, after reading about some of the very recent advances made in Neuroscience which undoubtedly is destined to become one of the world’s leading subjects for study during the present century!
My Blog itself follows a book I have recently had published which is now accessible completely free on my personal website. My book compares and contrasts the function and parts of computers with those of people and particularly with our minds, brains, .and memory.
My book has the more general title of “A Philosophy of Information”. This is because it shows vividly how Information is the food and lifeblood of both computers and brains and because,
“Information is the Power which Drives and Controls everything which Happens to Us!”
My Blog address is http://informationstoryinforman-infoman.blogspot.com/
My Personal website is http://www.theinformationstory.com/
And, if any one would prefer a printed copy of my book, this is obtainable from most major bookshops or from my publisher at http://www.trafford.com/05-2299
I would be most happy to engage in dialogue with you or any of your obviously very enlightened readers.
Bernard T Smith
(Infoman)
Hi! I too have posted my very brief thoughts in the same blog, at #238.
ReplyDeleteI would be glad to hear your views on the subject related with 'design of life on earth by an intelligent being', as expressed by Sir Fred Hoyle...
Maybe it would be difficult for a 'non Hindu' to understand it, I have tried through my comments in the blog http://indiatemple.blogspot.com/ to read between lines the Hindu mythological stories with the 'present day' informtion available through various sources as the background...
Newsflash
ReplyDeleteI will shortly be starting a new much more extensive Blog using Word Press. I will keep everyone informed.
Infoman
スミス師匠（ししょう）、やっと私のワードプレスができました。おやすみなさい。
ReplyDeleteI now have a new blog on Word Press as I expplained - as well as this one.
ReplyDeletePlease go there at
http://aphilosophyofinformation.wordpress.com/
i look forward to seeing you there
Infoman