FWIW, I'm not too far away from you on this - I don't think we are going to find a very simple algorithm to do whatever general pattern recognition the brain do

FWIW, I'm not too far away from you on this - I don't think we are going to find a very simple algorithm to do whatever general pattern recognition the brain does. All indications suggest that while there may be such an algorithm programmed in and repeated (a lot more times in humans than other animals), it's far too complex for us to simply read off or guess at. But it does suggest that we should be considering the functions that such higher level units might have, such that they become more intelligent as we compose them. Easier said than done,of course, especially since it's very difficult to actually observe brain dynamics in any detail.