[ExI] Why stop at glutamate?

[Ben Zaiboc]

>     Other parts of the brain decode the meaning of the signals they
>     receive.
>
>
> They decode it to WHAT?  Decoding from one code, to another code, none 
> of which is like anything

This is the heart of the problem. The idea that 'a code' has to refer to 
'something'. Some concrete, non-code, non-signal 'thing'. That is a 
misconception. There is no 'like anything'. Really.

"Decoding the meaning" just means mapping a set of signals to another 
set of signals. That's all. Associating signals together. All there is 
are signals, the brain doesn't (can't) deal with anything else. The 
signals ultimately come from the sense organs, which detect patterns in 
the environment. (more signals, really). It's just Turtles, all the way 
down.

This insistence that the brain has to contain 'real things' that are not 
neural signals is pathological, really. It goes against all the evidence 
and logic, and just leads to endless pointless arguing. This concept 
belongs with phlogiston and the luminiferous aether. We know better now.

I think we should stop at glutamate, and give it a decent burial.

Ben
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.extropy.org/pipermail/extropy-chat/attachments/20230412/a66a1d1f/attachment.htm>