[extropy-chat] Wetware vs. Hardware (was IQ vs Upload)

[The Avantguardian]

--- Dirk Bruere <dirk at neopax.com> wrote:

> The Avantguardian wrote:
> 
> >     I have done some back of the envelope
> >calculations to try to answer my own questions on
> this
> >matter. If we have 10^12 neurons with 10^4
> connections
> >per neuron, the total connectivity of the human
> brain
> >  
> >
> A better estimate would be 10^11
> And we can probably say that less than 10% of those
> are involved in 
> 'intellectual' processes.

The parts of the brain involved in 'intellectual'
processes can only work because they are built on many
'sub-intellectual' layers. You can't just peel the
cerebral cortex off someones brain and expect it to
still retain consciousness. Also you sound like the
'we only use 10% of our brains crowd.' The latest
reasearch using advanced imaging techniques seems to
suggest that yes only 10% of our neurons are active at
any one time but that 10% changes depending on what we
are doing and experiencing so it is a like a 'shift'
of neurons on the job and these 'shifts' switch in and
out over the course of a day. 

The Avantguardian 
is 
Stuart LaForge
alt email: stuart"AT"ucla.edu

"The surest sign of intelligent life in the universe is that they haven't attempted to contact us." 
-Bill Watterson


		
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