4 ms·

What can we learn from slime mould?

30 points by iciac 7y ago

phs318u 7y ago
The slime mould is a thing whose "brain" [0] is the thing itself? Also, it's not a fruit [1]. [0] I know "brain" is probably the wrong word to use here. Not sure what is. [1] https://nethackwiki.com/wiki/Slime_mold https://nethackwiki.com/wiki/Slime_mold
- VierScar 7y ago
  The way you describe it being a brain sounds a bit like the China Brain thought experiment (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China_brain https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China_brain) Basically, china has a population of around 1b, which is also roughly how many neurons we have in the human brain. If we fully understood each neuron, and told each human the rules to follow, could we make a brain out of other people who have brains? It seems crazy to have a brain be the size of china when they are usually so small, and yet, why not?
  - nefitty 7y ago
    Yes, it would be possible. Consciousness is emergent, independent of the substratum on which it occurs. I think an extra dimension could be added if each individual person (node) could communicate with any other node, using a cellphone. Can brains do that now, or do they play telephone with messages? Thanks for mentioning this thought experiment. It's making me think.
    - TeMPOraL 7y ago
      Here's the kicker. Don't ask if all these people could simulate a human brain. Observe them talking, exchanging physical messages, and communicating electronically over large distances. Look at these people - or better yet, all people on this planet - and ask yourself, if they're the neurons, then what thoughts is the global brain thinking right now?
      - mmiliauskas 7y ago
        Just go on reddit and click "Popular".
        TeMPOraL 7y ago
        Those are just pieces of thoughts, much like particular clusters of your neurons firing are only some part of a thought you're thinking.
      - vageli 7y ago
        Could we of lesser minds even conceive the thoughts of a brain whose nodes are themselves individual brains? Considering a global mind is even more interesting—what do we make of the neurons who are disconnected and limited in communication methods? Are there any biological corollaries?
        TeMPOraL 7y ago
        > Are there any biological corollaries? Not sure about disconnected neurons, but this made me think about our electronic communication, the ability for any one of us to effortlessly reach thousands or millions of people (like I do by just writing this comment). There is a biological equivalent of that in real brains: epileptic seizures. Perhaps the meta-consciousness of humanity is having an attack right now.
  - kburman 7y ago
    Could reddit be also consider as a brain which can do filtering and sorting of content.

30 points by iciac 7y ago

The slime mould is a thing whose "brain" [0] is the thing itself? Also, it's not a fruit [1]. [0] I know "brain" is probably the wrong word to use here. Not sure what is. [1] https://nethackwiki.com/wiki/Slime_mold https://nethackwiki.com/wiki/Slime_mold

VierScar 7y ago
The way you describe it being a brain sounds a bit like the China Brain thought experiment (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China_brain https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China_brain) Basically, china has a population of around 1b, which is also roughly how many neurons we have in the human brain. If we fully understood each neuron, and told each human the rules to follow, could we make a brain out of other people who have brains? It seems crazy to have a brain be the size of china when they are usually so small, and yet, why not?
- nefitty 7y ago
  Yes, it would be possible. Consciousness is emergent, independent of the substratum on which it occurs. I think an extra dimension could be added if each individual person (node) could communicate with any other node, using a cellphone. Can brains do that now, or do they play telephone with messages? Thanks for mentioning this thought experiment. It's making me think.
  - TeMPOraL 7y ago
    Here's the kicker. Don't ask if all these people could simulate a human brain. Observe them talking, exchanging physical messages, and communicating electronically over large distances. Look at these people - or better yet, all people on this planet - and ask yourself, if they're the neurons, then what thoughts is the global brain thinking right now?
    - mmiliauskas 7y ago
      Just go on reddit and click "Popular".
      - TeMPOraL 7y ago
        Those are just pieces of thoughts, much like particular clusters of your neurons firing are only some part of a thought you're thinking.
    - vageli 7y ago
      Could we of lesser minds even conceive the thoughts of a brain whose nodes are themselves individual brains? Considering a global mind is even more interesting—what do we make of the neurons who are disconnected and limited in communication methods? Are there any biological corollaries?
      - TeMPOraL 7y ago
        > Are there any biological corollaries? Not sure about disconnected neurons, but this made me think about our electronic communication, the ability for any one of us to effortlessly reach thousands or millions of people (like I do by just writing this comment). There is a biological equivalent of that in real brains: epileptic seizures. Perhaps the meta-consciousness of humanity is having an attack right now.
- kburman 7y ago
  Could reddit be also consider as a brain which can do filtering and sorting of content.