From [Marc Abrams (2004.05.08.1531)
Peter,
Yes, this paper talks specifically to motor control, but if you take a
look at Llinas' work over the last 25 years and specifically to his book
_i of the Vortex_, his research has been in neuronal communication and
this paper has been and can be generalized to _all_ brain activity.
I believe control _and_ complexity work hand in hand throughout our
various bodily systems. You and I agree very strongly that
emotions/feelings are the 'motivating' factors that affect our
'perceptions', 'reference conditions' and our output, but I think you're
short changing control. Control and complexity can, and I believe do,
work together.
I have collected a huge amount of research to back this thinking up. If
your interested in the control/complexity paradigm let me know and I can
refer you to huge amount of work in emotions and perceptions. I'm
talking about first person research here, not someone else's view.
Peter, I can't stress how important it is to look at things from the
perspective of control and negative feedback.
How this actually happens is very much up for grabs. All deterministic
systems need to have a set of rules and right now, in my opinion, we
don't have a clue as too what those biological rules might be. There is
_much_ speculation, but little experimental evidence.
There is some very encouraging work going on at the cellular level right
now but it's happening.
EEG's and FMRI's are nice, but researchers attribute all sorts of things
to these images and frankly, no one really knows why these area's
'light' up. The stories researchers make up are interesting but hardly
set in concrete.
Marc
Considering how often throughout history even intelligent people have
been proved to be wrong, it is amazing that there are still people who
are convinced that the only reason anyone could possibly say something
different from what they believe is stupidity or dishonesty.
Being smart is what keeps some people from being intelligent.
Thomas Sowell