The Passing of Knowledge

[MalReynolds]

I think it's safe to say:

I just got shut down.

Mal

[Varia]

No! You can still go on pretending you are right! Just like all these other assholes.

[MalReynolds]

Nah, it was a dumb idea anyway, just came from over-active imagination... Although, I am surprised that so many FFR members are experts on the human brain and the way that it functions. Oh well.

You should have talked to me earlier, before I had given the ghost to Goodwill.

Mal

[Austaph]

I think it's safe to say:

I just got shut down.

No, don't shut down! Give yourself a bit more credit than that. Within the postulate that DNA and cellular protein are a house for knowledge, your theory was extremely rational. I used to think the exact same thing, though I can't recall exactly when I realized it was bogus. I think it was just one of those things that I shit out of my brain and forgot about, only to learn otherwise way further down the line. I've seen more of my own theories die than I care to remember. It's disillusioning, but essential to growth. At any rate, your post was legible, intelligent, and well-grounded; it's all just a matter of fact. I'm happy to see there's someone here who has at least an understanding of English, and the ability to use it.

An over-active imagination is a good thing. Einstein himself said that much of his theories on physics were the result of imagination and abstract thinking. Sometimes we need to cross the borders of rationality in order to come to a heightened sense of the activity of the world. The key is to harbor a healthy sense of skepticism. That's not to say we should toss everything aside which we can't explain, but rather that we should question everything. When coming up with a theory, put it to the grind. Dissect it down to the very last letter; keeping what works, abandoning what doesn't. Things like this are good, too. Right or wrong, it doesn't matter. What is important is that (and I hope I've at least helped) we come to a greater understanding.

If our minds were to always function within the boundries of reason, we could never discover anything new. We would be slaves to ourselves, only able to work within what is certain. It's what's uncertain that we should focus on, for the possibility that one day we may come to master what was once completely unknown. Perhaps there are enormous benefits to eating brain tissue that biology hasn't tackled yet; or maybe it has - I don't know. What I do know is that mono and polyunsaturated fats are extremely good for us, and when ingested regularly, can curb depression, lethargy, and promote digestive and cognitive health. I'm not sure, but I think the brain is mostly fat... I was only told. Anyway, I hope I see more posts from you in the future. Don't get discouraged: keep journeying.

[TheAppleEater]

A line from Around the World in 80 Days, it might not be exact,"We live in a golden age. Everything that can be discovered, has been discovered."

The bad guy said that and he ended up losing.

Anyway I really like that theory, wrong or right, it was fun to read!

I dont think i have anything to add to it though, its way over my head.

Logan

[The_Q]

Eating brains would be the quickest way to get information, in that case. That way it doesn't have to trickle. Unfortunately, we know that this isn't true because memory is one of two things. Our brains got shaped a certain way and the shapes are read as memories or (more likely) our memories are just electric patterns in our brains that remain relatively constant over time.

Either way, when something decomposes and loses it's shape or the body stops producing electrical currents. The memories are lost. It also means they cannot be passed into the soil.

Memory loss during life can be the result of parts of the brain losing their shape or weakening currents.

I'm not doctor, don't take me too seriously.

Q

[Cenright]

The Passing of Knowledge

Interesting, but no matter what I am thinking at this instant, it is in no way transferred to the cockatoo across the room.

I could believe your theory Mal if one thing existed, and that would be Telepathy/Telekinesis. Then I would feel that those thoughts and feelings could be transferred, because they would already be able to pass as energy to others.

All the chemicals in our brain work because of their connection to the brain. When we die, those chemicals are broken up. Now think of the next thing to eat it. It has to be digested and broken to pieces before getting all the way around to the brain.

If I believed in your theory, and Telepathy/Telekinesis, then I would sleep with a book acting as my pillow.

[ggpcin]

RE: The Passing of Knowledge

One time Austaph touched my ass and I liked it.

[Austaph]

RE: The Passing of Knowledge

The Q: You're actually on to something.

Our brains got shaped a certain way and the shapes are read as memories or (more likely) our memories are just electric patterns in our brains that remain relatively constant over time.

Either way, when something decomposes and loses it's shape or the body stops producing electrical currents. The memories are lost. It also means they cannot be passed into the soil.

Memory loss during life can be the result of parts of the brain losing their shape or weakening currents.

I'm not sure exactly how memories work, but the shape of the brain plays a big part in cognition: the ability to think, reason, and store knowledge. More specifically, the brain's surface area. The surface of the brain (also called the cerebral cortex) is folded and wrinkled so that the most possible surface area can be packed into the smallest possible volume. The cerebral cortex is also the most advanced layer of our brain, controlling things like language, personality, heightened reasoning, sense perception, pattern recognition, etc. If your brain was flattened out, the cerebral cortex would be roughly the size of a large pizza; wouldn't be able to fit it all in the head without wrinkling it.

Some forms of memory loss are also attributed to the weakening of the currents in the brain - right again. Brain disorders called degenerative neurological disorders may be influenced by the decay of the myelin sheath, which insulates your nerves the same way an audio/video cable needs insulation. It keeps your nerves from coming in contact with each other and short-circuiting.

This is interesting, the idea that experience shapes our brain to form memories. Talk about mind-over-matter. What are everyone's thoughts on memory? As far as I know, science is almost clueless about this.

[emptiness]

Re: RE: The Passing of Knowledge

One time Austaph touched my ass and I liked it.

not necessary in the thread...and mine either

[Austaph]

RE: Re: RE: The Passing of Knowledge

It's not worth getting worked up about.

[The_Q]

RE: Re: RE: The Passing of Knowledge

Also, we can't have our memories and thoughts be matter because that would just make our heads grow constantly. Eventually, Einstein's brains would have it's own gravity well. It's just simply physically impossible.

Q

[Austaph]

RE: Re: RE: The Passing of Knowledge

Also, we can't have our memories and thoughts be matter because that would just make our heads grow constantly. Eventually, Einstein's brains would have it's own gravity well. It's just simply physically impossible.

Well, maybe that's where the brain folds come into play. Maybe our brain doesn't grow, so much as it grows more complex. It's like how you can divide an inch down into infinity; half of a half, of a half, of a half, etc. The folds and valleys in your brain would simply grow more complex, like ripples on a lake. So far, I guess the best theory of memory that neuroscience has is that memory develops with increasing complexity of neural networks: clusters, or "cities" of brain cells. But none of that really explains how memory is stored or retrieved. I barely even understand how memory is stored in silicon, how electricity can translate into data. Yes, I know about binary, but what makes a zero a zero, and a one a one?

It's funny you mention Einstein's brain. He actually had an enlarged parietal lobe: the region of the brain dealing with sensory input, body sensations; and the math region of his brain lacked hemispheres. Instead of being divided into a left and right - like an average cerebral cortex - it was just one hunk of mathematical power.

You have a point, though. Maybe memories don't really translate into matter, but rather our memories influence the matter that already exists in our brains. I'm at a loss, though. I don't know that much about how brains work, just what the different parts do. It's like how our bodies are made of various organs, which are made up of cells. Our brains are made up of various regions, which are made up of cells. What I have trouble figuring out is how? How is one specific region of the brain responsible for one specific function? My best guess is that it has something to do with the interneural pathways of the spinal cord and where they connect with the peripheral nervous system. But that still only explains what is being done, not how.

How does our brain translate an electrical impulse into "move your arm," or the hard question: how does our own personal intention translate into electrical impulses? I'm burying myself in my own argument. I'm going to go take a shower and clean the demons off of me, then I'm going to stare at my anatomy poster for an hour or two.

[The_Q]

RE: Re: RE: The Passing of Knowledge

How does our brain translate an electrical impulse into "move your arm," or the hard question: how does our own personal intention translate into electrical impulses?

We don't know yet. Come back when we've mapped the brain.

Well, maybe that's where the brain folds come into play.

He is suggesting that increasing memories and thoughts increases the matter in your brain. That would in effect increase the mass. Pretty much, it'd either weigh down the brain or make it incredibly dense (still making it heavy).

The ripples, though, would help in making it more dense, however, they can't be made into infinity. There's a book series by Orson Scott Card that deals with a computer like this. Essentially, the binary programming of the computer deals with indentations on the surface of the memory area. A groove is cut for a one and there is no groove for a zero. On the groove another may be cut to make more detailed data. This can keep going on, theoretically, ad infinitum. Unfortunately, like the computer in this series, our brains can only read grooves so fine. Thus giving us a memory cap. This could also be the cause of memory loss.

In fact, if we combine both electric and shape theories, you could say that the shapes are read by the electrical currents and the resistance caused by the grooves. Then again, that could essentially mean your brain glows when it gets older.

Q

[Austaph]

RE: Re: RE: The Passing of Knowledge

Unfortunately, like the computer in this series, our brains can only read grooves so fine. Thus giving us a memory cap. This could also be the cause of memory loss.

That does make sense. Over time, the grooves would become so fine that we wouldn't be able to read them. So that would mean that memories aren't really lost, we're just unable to retrieve them. I decided to stop thinking so hard about it. Even if someone did sit me down and explain to me the exact details of how the brain works, I probably wouldn't even understand it. Haha. Oh, the simple pleasures.