Brain Swarms

When I look at pictures and movies of fMRI scans showing patterns of brain activation they remind me of two things; firstly of doppler radar images of weather systems, and secondly of the behaviour of swarms, flocks, and shoals. I'm wondering whether there is any mileage in thinking about cognitive activity and the consciousness that seems to be linked to it as more swarm-like in nature than many simple models of brain functioning tend to suggest. Certainly for me at least it does feel a little like the changing pattern of my thoughts and mental images resembles those pictures of flocks of birds; there is a sense of coherence but also a lot of variability within that order. I sense my brain 'trying out' different ideas before they become fully part of my 'stream' of consciousness. When I reach into the fridge for a can of Pepsi, sometimes my hand will waver on its way to can and briefly head in the direction of the can of Tango that is on the next shelf. It isn't that my singular mentation has paused for a moment while some kind of decision is being made about what to drink, it seems more like two parts of the leading edge of the swarm of activation have gone in different directions simultaneously and I am experiencing that, not as indecision, but as both decisions being made at the same time by different parts of the swarm. It's only when one or other pathway within this chreodic landscape has been taken by the main body of the swarm that my consciousness catches up.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• consciousness
• brain
• synchronisation
• swarm
• flock
• of
• birds
• fish
• cognition
• chreode
• chreodic
• landscape
• neuroscience
• decision

[almafarag]

one of my favourite spectacles (and sounds) is when the leaves of a tall tree rustle in the wind, susurrant placidity, actually, you made me reconceive the tree as my head and the leaves as the neurons activated in patterns, that at this moment emerge with the question registering in my consciousness: where does the wind come from? (I like to watch yr old vids, it has a feel of you w/ mental sleeves all rolled up tinkering w/ heavy yet elusive substances alone and of me witnessing it)

[earthpet]

This is almost identical to my theory of consciousness. The main differences are:

1. Fred goes in to much more depth as to how a swarm of consciousness seems to function.

2. Fred's video actually predates mine.

: (

Excellent topic.

[hallcyon]

Fascinating :D