Cognition is not just a pavlovian stimulus response mechanism. It is not behavioral conditioning / association
Cognition is something that must happen and appears to be a process that emerges from the brain's physical and neurochemical architecture.
The "spirit" that emerges is the product of collaboration between causation DNA and matter.
I think that a behaviorist approach can work if we only wanted to explore large variations of situations experimentally. We could find common characteristics similar to animal models.
I would say this would require tremendously huge computations and not fully get to the point of human psychology.
It does matter what is happening on the inside of a person even if we cannot see it.
Internal reasons and motivations exist for people that guide their actions not accounted for that will always resist statistical prediction.
Cognition requires implementing a strategy to test for a result. First we come up with one then we see step by step in self monitoring how close we are to achieving the desired outcome.
Would this be the phonological loop? Consciousness may merely be a snapshot at the tip of the iceberg of a mental machinations. We use it to make reference and compare things.
So there are other snapshots (representations) the brain creates that manifests as dreams and visions or whatever.
It could be in words or pictures what we Invision as a future state we want. But we do not always know that state which would be desirable. That is why we explore many varieties of states and see what is better.
Of course to explore we need resources and this puts constraints on us. I have seen that too many or two few is bad for creativity. And this is definitely variable given a persons cognitive facilities.
I believe that the thalamus is alongside the other subcortical structure is crucial for coordinating movement. In reptiles they lack a cortex yet can do many things required for survival. Mammals use the cortex as a memory storage. The thalamus and other structures program the memory.
We can use this memory as a sketchpad, otherwise known as working memory, to form strategies. It can be used in the frontal lobes to inhibit action to determine the casual relationships it finds in its environment.
What the thalamus is then doing is allowing information transfer between the body and brain and brain to brain as the limbic emotional motivators. Making sure all systems translate into the correct motions as a holistic effort.
Thalamus and that are in the brain in general are very metabolically active if I recall, particularly the Cingulate cortex, being like 20% of the brains energy use?
It would make sense for your center of sense of self and self evaluation would be closely tied to something that manages your hormones and motor (survival) movements. What a trip it is to be human I guess.
I contend that motion is the basis of intellect.
So nothing is static, we have processes happening constantly demanding the brain do its best to keep the body where it needs to be.
Choices are important though as we must look ahead to the future state we have extrapolated better allows us creating at our level of action intellectually.
The neocortex is looking to find consequences of actions. And the limbic system tells us if these are good or bad. Together such as in the anterior cingulate we can self program by building up representation of what can and cannot happen. Using them to plan and map out contingencies.
In a deep sense INTP are making mental maps the most. Well INTJ are forecasting their goals the most.
@Hadoblado
@EndogenousRebel
What do you think?
Right, I've seen the notion that the neocortex is a hypothetical maniac.
Again it makes sense, and it does kinda align with reality I think. But what it actually turns out day to day is that it helps you inhibit certain behaviors.
If you depend on your neocortex to do those snap judgements more than a couple times a day, your going to be disappointed.
You want to put yourself in a position to succeed, and really change your behavior by switching out the unhealthy habits with healthy ones.
Rituals are crazy effective. This is because they appeal to the logic and the passion of the brain. Really do your best to inspire yourself. It really is a good skill to have.
The balance is in what you are capable of.
Einstein would be a lousy ditch digger because he thinks too much but maybe it's his hobby after work or during relaxing. But if he had no papers to write things down it would waste his time tremendously.
Inhibition let's us observe the world and mentally maintain a distance. It is why those with greater self control can find more options in thoughts when looking at problems.
This is not association is a behaviorist sense. A loop is formed that sets in motion ideas. The idea is antithetical to behaviorism. Yet it allows humans to create goals. And become self determined.
We reason about things in the way current a.i. does not. Making goals. A thalamic center is why. Interaction with the world and creating a distance. But also making the information integrated. Learning to learn.
The ACC might be a good way to look at how ideas form when it is trying to consider, intentionally, what is best. Meaning inhibition requires knowing the environment has options we want at the stages we are in. Again some are harder or easier than other environments for each person. Kids get to explore more ideas than adults given the constraints on them as groups. What matters is if an organism can be self sustainable, with humans that is by the intellect.
