Hofstadter, Dennett - The Mind's I

A Conversation with Einstein’s Brain 436ACHILLES: Let me go on. I can anticipate, I believe, just how you'd repi"Each page of this book-and there are around a hundred billion numbered pages in itcorrespondsto one neuron and contain numbers recording such aspects relevant tothat neuron as: wh' other neurons its axons lead to, what its threshold current is fofiring, and so on. However, I forgot to tell you certain further important factsabout the functioning of brains in general-in particular what happens, or isbelieved to happen (from all we know front neurological research), when thoughtsoccur in the brain, and especially conscious thoughts." I might object with somevaguely worded complaint about thoughts occurring in the mind, not the brain,but you'd hastily dismiss that remark and say, "We can talk about that some othertime-say, for example, if we meet by chance in the Jardin du Luxembourgsomeday. But for now my goal is to explain the contents of this book to you." I'dbe placated, I suppose, as I usually am, so you'd press on with a comment in thisvein: "A thought occurs (in the mind or the brain, whichever you prefer -- fornow!) when a series of connected neurons fire in succession-mind you, it may notbe a long string of individual neurons firing like chain of dominoes falling downone after another-it may be more like several neurons at a time tending to triggeranother few, and so forth. More likely than not, some stray neural chains will getstarted along the side of the mainstream but soon will peter out, as thresholdcurrents are not attained. Thus, one will have, in sum, a broad or narrow squad offiring neurons, transmitting their energy to others in turn, thus forming a dynamicchain that meanders within the brain -its course determined by the variousresistances in the axons that are encountered along the way. It would not be out ofplace to say that `the path of least resistance is followed,' if you follow me." Athis point, I'd be sure to comment, "You've surely said a mouthful -let me have amoment to digest it." After mulling over this food for thought you'd so farprovided me with, and asking you a few clarifying questions on it, I'd be satisfiedthat I'd gotten the general picture. Of course you'd probably tell me that if Iwanted more information on the subject, I could easily go look it up in almost anypopular book about the brain. So then you'd say, "Let me wind up this descriptionof neural activity by briefly describing what accounts for memory, at least as wellas has been so far established. Think of the `flashing spot of activity' careeningaround within the brain ('where all the action is,' so to speak) as a boat travelingacross the surface of a pond, such as those toy sailboats that children sometimesbring to the octagonal ponds in the Jardin du Luxembourg, the site