Re: NEURO: Advanced Neurons?

Paul Hughes (organix@hotmail.com)
Tue, 18 Mar 1997 15:39:59 -0800 (PST)


>From: Lee Daniel Crocker <lcrocker@calweb.com>
>Subject: Re: NEURO: Advanced Neurons?
>To: extropians@extropy.org
>Date: Tue, 18 Mar 1997 12:58:44 -0800 (PST)

>> Moravec assumed 10 bits per synapse, also quite reasonable at the time
>> but we now know that's way too high.
>
>What mean "we", kemo sabe? At the present state of neuroscience, I
>wouldn't be comfortable pinning that down even to within 3-4 orders
>of magnitude. /You/ might be willing to upload yourself into a box
>with 10 bits per synapse, but I wouldn't do it for under 1000 until
>I saw proof. In fact, I'm not sure I'd even be comfortable quantizing
>at /any/ level what is surely an analog process.
>
>--
>Lee Daniel Crocker <lee@piclab.com>
><http://www.piclab.com/lcrocker.html>

I have to agree with Lee, there is mounting evidence that each neuron in itself
is a complex computer with an extensive cytoskelatal network that regulates
neurotransmitter activity. Since reading Hans Moravec's Mind Children nearly 10
years ago, I have never taken his estimates of brain power seriously. A
roboticist does not neccessarily make a good neuroscientist.

---------------------------------------------------------
Get Your *Web-Based* Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
---------------------------------------------------------