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NEWSCIENCENEWSCIENCENEWSCIENCE Here is a thumbnail sketch of negative-space informational mass in a the nerve impulse. Neuron cells naked singularity network. A naked singu- fire a unique electrical current larity is different from its "centre of a black from the cell body down the axon. hole" cousin. A naked singularity, by defin- Each neuron cell tends to talk to a __ ition, is time locked and has slight mass. few others close by. Whether or Our proposed idea is that naked singulari- not the next adjacent neuron cell _ ty locations form a time-locked network of will fire depends on current memory images. Well-defined neural pat- strength. The basic architecture — terns selectively store and retrieve memory stays local. Almost any specific images in a reversible computation process. brain function can be traced to the Presumably there is a hierarchy of this "what" and "how" of an adjacent negative group of neuron cells associated with it. reversible computation going on. A single space is an extremely difficult research There is nothing haphazard about this _ host cell would contain a simple naked sin- roblem. Only in the last 30 years has sci- mapping. Magnetic resonance imaging gularity network. Memory at this level ence acquired the necessary expertise and (MRI) and positron emission tomography would deal with local concerns of spe- technology to investigate the phenomenon. (PET) scanning allow the three-dimensional _ cialised cell function. This time-locked Neuroscience, for one, has developed the reconstruction of nerve impulse traffic. information is available to other networks as tools and done the research confirming a During surgery, changes in electrical poten- required. naked singularity network is possible and _ tial are measured directly on the brain's sur- At the most complicated level, conscious- even probable. So, next thing, let's plug the face. Polygraphs measure the skin's electri- ness is closely linked with the central ner- problem into recent neuroscience observa- cal conductance to identify specific respons- vous system. Recent evidence suggests the tions and see what comes out. es. Surgeons are now implanting tiny elec- location of core consciousnes: the mid- trodes deep into patients' brains. The elec- line area of the central nervous system; The Neuroscience Connection trodes are internally connected to a battery specifically, a right-hand and left-hand mir- Hermetic science was self-limiting. A and pulse generator that is surgically ror image across the centreline. comprehensive understanding of the physi- implanted below the collarbone. This pow- Damage to these sites disrupts core con- cal world lay beyond its scope of inquiry. erpack delivers pulses of electricity to inter- sciousness, while extensive damage that Descartes’ dualist approach took a step rupt selected nerve impulse traffic for the leaves the centreline intact does not. Not towards updating the prime material view, purpose of controlling severe movement dis- surprisingly, this centreline is ancient from but the effort was well ahead of his time. orders. These and other related results paint an evolutionary perspective; it is present in Today, rapid advances in neuroscience sug- a comprehensive picture of the nerve many non-human species, and matures early gest a naked singularity model is on the right impulse traffic. in embryonic growth. Many other neuro- track. Let's look at some of what is present- Despite impressive technical achieve- science examples support this idea. None ly known about neuroanatomy. ments, memory remains a mystery. Neural proves it conclusively, but the naked singu- The central nervous system is constructed patterns function as selective storage and _ larity model does solve the binding problem of two kinds of cells: the neuron and the retrieval circuits for memory images. These and otherwise holds together rather well. glial. Glial cells support neuron cells. are representations prompted by an object or The binding problem is the same for Neuron cells linked together in circuit gener- previous experience. Location of memory genetics. Let's consider how our model fits ate nerve impulse traffic; they have three images is not presently accounted for in neu- __ there. main components (see figure 8): roanatomy. It is known that they do not 1- acell body containing the nucleus; bind in the circuit! The majority position is The Genetic Code 2 -—a main output fibre, known as the that neuroanatomy will be capable of Last year, in a rare show of unity, private axon; accounting for memory image location in sector and government-funded researchers 3 — input fibres, known as dendrites. some yet-to-be-discovered way. jointly declared the Genome Project sub- Neuron cells interconnect in synapses, This problem is generally known as the _ stantially complete. A linear sequence base which usually consist of an output axon con- binding problem. Binding requires some _ has been acquired for the fruit fly, mouse tacting the input dendrites of another neuron _ sort of time-locking to account for memory and human. It turns out that the fruit fly has cell. Billions of neuron cells organise into image storage and local circuits in this manner. When retrieval. This is arranged in parallel layers, local circuit where the historical groups are called cortical regions. When model fits in. Prime non-layered, local circuit groups are called material, in an unex- nuclei. These microscopic local circuits tended network of group together, forming pathways visible to central nervous sys- the eye. Other non-central nervous system tem locations, cell groups can selectively join circuit path- uniquely and elegant- ways through bundles of axons reaching to ly solves the binding every point in the body. The whole deal problem. In modern forms a sort of nerve impulse traffic high- science terminology, way system. we are talking about The Neuroscience Connection Hermetic science was self-limiting. A comprehensive understanding of the physi- cal world lay beyond its scope of inquiry. Descartes’ dualist approach took a step towards updating the prime material view, but the effort was well ahead of his time. Today, rapid advances in neuroscience sug- gest a naked singularity model is on the right track. Let's look at some of what is present- ly known about neuroanatomy. The central nervous system is constructed of two kinds of cells: the neuron and the glial. Glial cells support neuron cells. Neuron cells linked together in circuit gener- ate nerve impulse traffic; they have three main components (see figure 8): 1- acell body containing the nucleus; 2 -—a main output fibre, known as the The Genetic Code Last year, in a rare show of unity, private sector and government-funded researchers jointly declared the Genome Project sub- stantially complete. A linear sequence base has been acquired for the fruit fly, mouse and human. It turns out that the fruit fly has axon; 3 — input fibres, known as dendrites. Neuron cells interconnect in synapses, which usually consist of an output axon con- tacting the input dendrites of another neuron cell. Billions of neuron cells organise into local circuits in this manner. When arranged in parallel layers, local circuit groups are called cortical regions. When non-layered, local circuit groups are called nuclei. These microscopic local circuits group together, forming pathways visible to the eye. Other non-central nervous system cell groups can selectively join circuit path- ways through bundles of axons reaching to every point in the body. The whole deal forms a sort of nerve impulse traffic high- way system. NEXUS ¢ 49 OCTOBER — NOVEMBER 2002 www.nexusmagazine.com