Why the Brain Makes Mistakes?
A study conducted at Carnegie Mellon University investigated the brain’s neural activity during learned behavior and found that the brain makes mistakes because it applies incorrect inner beliefs, or internal models, about how the world works. The research suggests that when the brain makes a mistake, it actually thinks that it is making the correct decision—its neural signals are consistent with its inner beliefs, but not with what is happening in the real world.
Paper:
http://elifesciences.org/content/early/2015/12/08/eLife.10015
Article:
http://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-12-gain-brain.html
#neuroscience #research #BMI
Thus demonstrating that we see the world not as it is, but as we are. Good post :)
ReplyDeleteMaybe this is part of the reason racism and prejudice exists in the world, susceptible to propaganda, fear of the unknown? Becoming closed to reason or leading to single/narrow minded views of how things are. People can appear to 'hate' a particular race, religion or consider immigrantion bad, but that may be because of how their brain is wired, stuck in their own mindset and not meeting or learning about people from other cultures or belief systems. Perhaps it starts at a young age when the neural pathways are forming
ReplyDeleteWould be more scientific to use a generic picture for this post.
ReplyDeleteNorman Ma maybe...but I see optical illusions as brain failures so the pic stays ;)
ReplyDeleteSam Collett, racism is taught in our society it is not automatic.
ReplyDeleteYes. Makes absolute sense. Survival of the fittest etc. Brain/thought/belief Diversity improves the overall odds of survival of the species.
ReplyDeleteI do believe it is something that is taught and the ideas passed on through generations or in communities, unless it is challenged by the person themselves. Trying to force different thinking on people can backfire and just reinforce their negative views
ReplyDeleteI think racism is indeed a learned behaviour and it isn't necessary, but it does leverage out-group discrimination, which is a naturally evolved human behaviour.
ReplyDeleteWow I just noticed somethiny really funny about that picture :o
ReplyDeleteJason Owlbright Just your brain making a mistake. :)
ReplyDeleteThe study assumes there is a "real" world outside of the observer. Is there?
ReplyDeleteTrey Pitsenberger please elaborate that thought! Am I correctly inferring you're an adherent of solipsism or are you just being funny? I can understand having a leaning toward it, but not in the context of practical science. It would be rather difficult to make progress spinning on that philosophical conundrum. ;)
ReplyDeleteTrey Pitsenberger Yes. Don't get weird.
ReplyDeletePhilosophy is dead.
Sean Walker I am not a scientist or scientific researcher, so bear with me. I had read about he observer effect concerning quantum physics. http://bit.ly/1PZHF2f
ReplyDeleteKenny Chaffin weird? Sorry, it's too late :-)
ReplyDeleteTrey Pitsenberger The problem is that 'observer' is a very special thing wrt QM. What happens is the laypersons and philosophers get hung up on observer being a human consciousness and that's not necessarily required.
ReplyDeleteKenny Chaffin Thanks!
ReplyDeleteIs this "consciousness" then a theoretical one, observing?
Trey Pitsenberger https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Observer_(quantum_physics)
ReplyDelete