>the cortex implements some kind of general purpose algorithm That algorithm is really just the laws of physics being followed in a very, very complex system.

>the cortex implements some kind of general purpose algorithm That algorithm is really just the laws of physics being followed in a very, very complex system. Not to be overly pedantic, but when you say "some sort of general algorithm," what do you mean? Do you mean that there is some sort of information processing in the cortex (everyone's cortex!) that could be written down and named "the process of cognition"? Perhaps by "some sort of general algorithm" you really mean the mechanisms underlying neuroplasticity, which are what enable learning and memory and this arguably the ability to have what we call consciousness? I don't mean to nitpick (and I don't think I am) but this tendency among HN comments to try to shoehorn principles of computing into an alleged understanding of cognition seems to be both popular and, well, unsupported by any existing science.