X-Message-Number: 2704
From:  (Thomas Donaldson)
Subject: CRYONICS: re #2700-2702
Date: Wed, 27 Apr 1994 00:22:03 -0700 (PDT)


Hi again:

One interesting book in computer science (that subset of it which deals with
neural nets) may ring some bells with anyone who believes in a "self-circuit".
Pentti Kanerva in SPARSE DISTRIBUTED MEMORY discusses a model of memory which
includes something which might reasonably be called a "self-circuit". It 
seems to improve the efficiency of that memory. Hmm.

Naturally, of course, to understand how we ourselves work we must actually
get down and look at real neurons making real connections. A simulation proves
very little... particularly because we are quite complicated and no current
simulation has come anywhere close. But the suggestion of a "self-circuit"
IS there, with some added ideas about how it might work and why it may have
evolved.

				Long long life,

					Thomas Donaldson

PS: I reviewed this book in CRYONICS several years ago.

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