The Emerging Nature of Mind:

1
(No Transcript)
2
The Emerging Nature of Mind
Intellect, emotion, values Some speculations
and provocations
George Ellis, University of Cape Town From
Stars to Brains Canberra, June 2006
3

• 1 The brain
•  
• The brain is the most complex system known to us.
  Brain function is based on mechanisms allowing
  information storage, processing, and usage,
  mainly through the electrochemical properties of
  neurons (the cells that are the basic
  computational units in the brain), which are
  connected together in immensely complex ways.
• Neurons are made up of a cell body together with
  long branching extensions (dendrites and axons).
  Information flows down dendrites to the cell
  body, where summation of inputs is performed and
  the output is sent down numerous axons to meet
  dendrites of other neurons at synapses. Here the
  incoming information is transferred by
  neurotransmitters from the axon to the dendrite,
  which are separated there by a small gap.
• A single neuron may be connected in this way to
  hundreds or even thousands of other neurons. This
  connectivity is the crucial brain structure
  determining its functioning.

4

• The brain is made of interconnected neurons
• Information flows dendrites to nucleus to axon
  to synapse
• and on to another neuron

5
The complexity of real neurons .
6
neurons
The secret lies in the connections between
neurons
7

• Hierarchical structure of the brain Components
• --------------------------------------------------
  -----------------------------
• The brain Brain stem, cerebellum,
  neocortex, spinal cord
• Neocortex Frontal, Temporal,
  Parietal, Occipital lobes
• Neural networks 1011 neurons each with 102 to
  103 connections
• The neuron Axons, body, dendrites,
  synapses
• Axons Nerve fibre, sheath
  (myelin)
• Biochemical molecules Proteins, nucleic
  acids
• Organic molecules Bases, Amino Acids, Sugars,
  Phosphates
• Atoms Nucleus, electrons
• --------------------------------------------------
  -----------------------------
• Each level of structure in the hierarchy carries
  out a different function, described in a
  different language

8

• Neurons are clumped together in major functional
  areas. Some brain regions are dedicated to
  automatic (instinctual) functions, some are the
  seat of our inherited primary emotions, while
  some are dedicated to analysis of sensory input,
  to higher cognitive functions, and to handling
  motor output.
• Bottom-up and top-down action combine to create
  consciousness - an emergent feature, based on the
  physical and chemical interactions underlying the
  functioning of the complexly interconnected
  neurons.
• The neurological details of these mechanism are
  relatively well understood at a micro level, and
  the broad ways brain areas function is understood
  at a macro level, showing how various brain areas
  correlate with various aspects of consciousness.
• Nevertheless, the way that consciousness itself
  is generated is simply not understood Nor do we
  understand the relation between the mind and the
  brain how matter is able to support
  self-transcendence.

9
2 Basic features
Neural nets with plasticity as basis Can be
simulated on digital computer Basic function
Pattern recognition Bayesian statistics and
basic prediction Complex associations
Higher functions Top down processing
Associative recall Abstract concepts These
underlie basic interrelated macro features
Perception, Learning, Cognition Qu What is
a necessary and sufficient set of basic
operations?
10
The major role of vision in evolution
Key role of Evolutionary Development of Eyes
In the Blink of an eye, Andrew Parker -
the Cambrian explosion resulted from the
development of eyes with the associated need for
much enhanced processing power the capacity to
perceive and classify objects - this requires
modeling their behaviour to some degree The
Cambrian explosion was triggered by the sudden
evolution of vision. All animals needed to evolve
to be adapted to vision before they were eaten,
or before they were outwitted by their prey. The
early Cambrian thus became a race for adaptation
to vision Parker p. 297
11
The key role of vision in brain development
This is plausibly the basis also for brain
development all thinking is basically
perceptual in nature and other thinking processes
evolve from it Visual Thinking Rudolf Arnheim
Fundamental processes of vision involve
mechanisms typical of reasoning, developed to
understand the scene viewed Active exploration,
selection, grasping of essentials,
simplification, abstraction, analysis and
synthesis, completion, correction, comparison,
problem solving, as well as combining,
separating, and putting in context p.
13 These operations are not the prerogative
of any one mental function they are the manner
in which the minds of both man and animal treat
congitive material at any level.
12
The key role of vision in brain development

• Vision therefore comes before abstract analytic
  reasoning and language, which develop out of it
• Our perceptual response to the world is the
  basic means by which we structure events and from
  which we derive ideas and therefore the need for
  language. The ancient dichotomy between
  perceiving and reasoning is false and
  misleading.
• An abstractive grasp of structural features is
  the very basis of perception and the beginning of
  all cognition p. 161
• - May be true both in evolutionary terms and
  developmentally.
• Mathematically Geometry comes before analysis
• Abstraction proceeds from geometrical models
  plus numbers

13
The key role of language

• Symbolic systems enable abstract reasoning and
  planning Terrence Deacon The symbolic species
• Bees and symbolic understanding wonderful
  experiments!
• Birds and recursion
• Power of social symbolic systems guiding action
  (Roederer)
• Ability to store and transmit information over
  time and space
• Mathematics (the language of quantitative
  science) and abstract symbolic systems the basis
  of organisation and technology
• But is there a language module Pinker?
• - Not very likely.

14
3 Neural Darwinism

• Biological Complexity is generated in each
  individual by a developmental process based on
  reading the genetic information stored in the
  sequence of bases in DNA
• - Creates a highly structured organism out of
  differentiated cells
• Influenced by information from the environment.
• Gerald Edelman Principles of Darwinian natural
  selection apply when utilising genetic
  information in each individual for brain
  development (hence Neural Darwinism)
• both because the stored information is far too
  little to control brain development by itself,
  Cf. the Human Genome Project 40,000 genes but
  1013 cells and 1011 neurons
• even if read multiple times and in different
  combinations
• and because this allows the brain to optimally
  adapt to the local environment provides the
  needed plasticity of response

15
Affective Neural Group Selection

• In the cortex, broad functional areas are
  determined then neurons send out random
  connections to other neurons
• Those that have a positive survival value are
  strengthened,
• others are killed off or allowed to decay
• hence Neural Darwinism Edelman and
  Tononi
• A value system is required to decide which
  should be regarded as positive or good from a
  survival viewpoint
• This is provided by the primitive emotions whose
  seat is the
• pre-cortical area of the brain, sending out
  neuro-transmitters
• characterised in detail by Jaak Panksepp
• Affective Neuroscience 1998

16

• The initial set of relatively non-specific
  synaptic connections
• are refined to produce a precise pattern of
  connectivity
• Neurotransmitters alter gene expression
• thereby providing plasticity

17
From Edelman and Tononi
Neurotransmitters spread to entire brain
Value system
Source is in the Limbic system
Noradrenaline, Dopamine, Serotonin
18
Intellect
Emotion
Instinct
The value system originates in the limbic
(affective) system
19
The basic (primitive) values
The basic emotional systems identified by
Panksepp (1998), based on structures in the
limbic system, are the following E1 The
SEEKING system general motivation, seeking,
expectancy E2 The RAGE system rage/anger E3
The FEAR system fear/anxiety E4 The LUST
system lust/sexuality E5 The CARE system
providing maternal care/nurturance E6 The PANIC
system panic/separation, need of care E7 The
PLAY system roughousing play/joy On the
present view it is the basic emotional systems
particularly the SEEKING system that underlie
brain development and intellect - relates to
evolutionary development and to animal behaviour
20
The basic hypothesis
Hypothesis The basic emotional systems E1-E7
identified by Panksepp, together with inputs from
the endocrine and immune systems, are necessary
and sufficient to provide the value system of
neural Darwinism identified by Edelman and
Tononi.  On this view, the primary emotions E1
to E7 characterised above with endocrine and
immune system inputs become the lynch-pin
linking neurophysiology to experience and the
social and physical environment. They link
macro-events to neural micro-structure by
top-down action from the macro to the micro
scale. Consequently they are a key both to
brain physiological development and to
evolutionary development of secondary emotions
and higher cognitive functions. The assumption is
that nothing else is left out this is the total
value system if you disagree then what else?
21
(No Transcript)
22
An integrative hypothesis

• This proposal links macro effects
  (psychological behaviour) to micro structure
  (neural connections) in an integrative way,
  linking neurology to psychology, learning theory,
  child development, ethology, genetics, and
  evolutionary history.
• It fleshes out aspects of views of Damasio
  et al on the importance of emotions on the one
  hand, inbuilt by evolution for precisely this
  purpose
• - and clarifies the nature of the
  value system of Edelman and Tononi on the other
  a key component of their view. Answers the
  question What is it that guides neuronal
  plasticity?
• Details see Neural Development Affective and
  Immune system Influences, G Ellis and J
  Toronchuk, in Consciousness and Emotion Ed R
  Ellis and N Newton (John Benjamins, 2005).

23
Kandels principles

• All mental processes derive from operations of
  the brain
• Genes determine neuronal functioning
• Social and developmental factors contribute
  importantly to the variance in mental illness.
  These factors express themselves in altered gene
  expression.
• Nurture is ultimately expressed as nature.
• Erik Kandel, Am Journ Psych 156 505-524 (1999)

24
Kandels principles (AND)

• All mental processes derive from operations of
  the brain
• Genes determine neuronal functioning
• Social and developmental factors contribute
  importantly to the variance in mental illness.
  These factors express themselves in altered gene
  expression via emotions and associated
  neurotransmitters.
• Nurture is ultimately expressed as nature.
•  

25
Kandels Principles

• Altered gene expression induced by learning gives
  rise to changed patterns of neuronal connections,
  which give rise to different forms of thinking
  and behaviour.
• Psychotherapy produces changes in long-term
  behaviour by learning which produces changes in
  gene expression, and hence changes in neuronal
  interconnection.
• Erik Kandel, Am Journ Psych 156 505-524 (1999)

26
Kandells Principles (AND)

• Altered gene expression induced by learning
  associated with emotions gives rise to changed
  patterns of neuronal connections, which give rise
  to different forms of thinking and behaviour.
• Psychotherapy produces changes in long-term
  behaviour by learning which produces changes in
  gene expression via neurotramsitters associated
  with emotions, and hence changes in neuronal
  interconnection.

27
Primary and Secondary Emotions
It is clearly crucial to clarify which are
secondary and which are primary emotions. Damasio
suggests primary emotions are,   P1. happiness,
P2. sadness, P3. fear, P4. anger, P5.
surprise, P6. disgust,   and characterises
developmentally emergent secondary emotions as,
  S1 embarrassment, shame, guilt S2
contempt, indignation S3 sympathy,
compassion S4 awe/wonder/elevation,
gratitude, pride S5 jealousy, envy.  
28
Revised proposal (Ellis and Toronchuk)
INDIVIDUAL NEEDS Basic
Functioning E0 Pleasure/Distress system
(Liking/fulfilment/satiation) Leads to
learning identification of needs E1
Seeking/Wanting System (Arousal/excitement/seeking
) Satisfying needs engagement,
searching Basic Survival E2 Disgust system
(repulsion physical safety) Avoiding
harmful foods/ environments E3 Rage system -
Defense aggression E4 Fear System - Defense
flight Learning E5 Play system
(physical/imaginative fun) Problem
rehearsal, Creativity, Aesthetics
29
Revised proposal (Ellis and Toronchuk)
SOCIAL NEEDS Reproduction E6
Lust system (sexual desire, satiation)
Ensuring procreation Group cohesion Social
Bonding E7 Need/attachment system
Creates bonding through need for others E8
Care/nurturance system Caring for others,
particularly children Group function
Regulating conflict E9 Rank system
(dominance/submission) Controlling
aggression in society Territorial desires
(physical/social/ideas) Owning/possessing
basis of self identity
30
5 Relation to the Immune System
It is known that the immune system and the brain
interact with each other at multiple levels and
in a bi-directional manner (see Esther Sternberg,
The Balance Within). There are an immense variety
of immune molecules, with many used both in the
immune and nervous systems. It is known that some
affect neuronal function at the cellular level
and may also modify structural relationships
between neurons. If one accepts that the
emotional neurocircuitry of the brain play a role
in shaping higher order brain functions during
the evolutionary process, then it is not
unreasonable to propose that the immune system
may have evolutionarily played a similar role in
setting emotional brain systems.
31
Relation to the Immune System
The issue here is not how the different emotional
systems became differentiated, but rather how any
emotional system at all came into being. This is
a crucial step on the way to full consciousness.
The key system could have been the disgust
system developing via immune molecule links to
the immune system. The feeling of disgust might
have been the first felt emotion. Once the basic
capacity was there, it could evolve to respond to
the major environmental issues confronting the
individuals in a population, resulting in the
basic affective reactions. That capacity would
then evolve to the present primary emotional
systems that are indeed genetically laid down and
realised in response to the local environment
during embryonic development.
32
Relation to the Immune System
Once a first set of such affective states had
come into existence, they could have been adapted
and developed into the full set E1-E7 because of
the evolutionary advantage they provided through
acting as a value system. Neural Darwinism in the
individual would have proved itself to be a
winning strategy and hence could have developed
further affective capacities in an efficient
way.   Conjecture It was through this process of
immune system interaction with the CNS that
neural Darwinism came into being as a
brain-structuring mechanism in the course of
evolutionary history.   This suggestion has the
potential to explain why some molecules are both
immune system molecules and also
neurotransmitters. It could conceivably even help
explain how chemical synapses came into being in
the first place, or at least why they are so
common.
33
The major Interactions
Cognition, Feeling Secondary Emotions
Primary emotional Neural Systems
Immune System
34
5 Some macro issues

• Relation of rationality to faith, hope, emotions
  and values
• Factors affecting the brain genetics and
  environment
• Symbolic causation and physics
• How does the brain apprehend a platonic reality?

35
Ethics, Aesthetics
The Mind
Society
Perception, Risk
Faith, Hope
Rationality
Intuition, Imaginatiom
Emotion
Primary Genetic/biological
Secondary Social/cultural
The individual mind Each of Emotions,
Rationality, Faith/Hope, Perception, attitudes
to risk, Intuition, Imagination, Aesthetics, and
Ethics are causally effective. They are modulated
by the society in which we live they cannot be
understood in isolation.
36

• Social environment Genetic inheritance
  
• - effect of society - effect of
  biology
• Personal Choice
• - causal effectiveness of consciousness/will

Mind, underlying consciousness and personality
The nature-nurture issue three main factors
that contribute to the development of the mind
37
Symbolic causation

• Symbolic systems
• Causally effective
• e.g. signs, money, physics theories
• Socially created and transmitted
• Affect brain structuring (e.g. language)
• Not within the conceptual domain of physics
• Not explainable by physics per se

38
Human thought and physics

• Human thoughts can cause real physical effects
• This is a top-down action from the mind to the
  physical world
• This is not included in what physics deals with
• For example Chess
• Physics cannot predict the movement of chess
  pieces as that involves human volition it
  cannot predict the choices that will be made
• Physics cannot even characterize the origin of
  the possibility space for chess pieces the set
  of allowed moves as that derives from social
  agreements
• There is no charge and force field for each kind
  of chess piece.

39
Fundamental physics
40
Fundamental physics

• Human thought and physics
• Human thoughts can cause real physical effects
• This is a top-down action from the mind to the
  physical world
• This is not included in what physics deals with
• For example Chess
• Physics cannot predict the movement of chess
  pieces as that involves human volition it
  cannot predict the choices that will be made
• Physics cannot even characterize the origin of
  the possibility space for chess pieces the set
  of allowed moves as that derives from social
  agreements
• There is no charge and force field for each kind
  of chess piece.

41
Cognition and Platonic Existence

• Platonic World
• Mathematical reality
• explored not created
• Roger Penrose, Alain Connes
• causally effective by discovery and utilisation
• can be displayed
• used in science
• used in technology

42
The basic geometrical features
The same results will be discovered near Alpha
Centauri or the Andromeda Galaxy
43
Mandelbrot set

Mandelbrot set
44
Mandelbrot set

Mandelbrot set (detail)
45
Mandelbrot set

Julia set
46
Platonic Existence

• How does the mind apprehend it?
• By discovery not experiment
• Conversations in Mind, Matter and Mathematics
  
• Jean-Pierre Changeux and A Connes
• Cumulative understanding built up by society
  over centuries of underlying features of reality
• Mathematics,
• Laws of physics ?
• Ethics/meaning ??

47
Conclusion

• Brain is based in physics
• But can comprehend and be affected by abstract
  entities
• These develop over time in the expanding
  universe
• Some of them are discovered not invented
• The mind can interact with platonic worlds, i.e.
  with entities of a non-physical nature

48
Fine tuning Just Six Numbers Martin Rees

• 1. N electrical force/gravitational force
  1036
• 2. E strength of nuclear binding 0.007
• 3. ? normalized amount of matter in universe
• 0.3
• 4. ? normalised cosmological constant 0.7
• 5. Q inhomogeneous seeds for cosmic structures
  1/100,000
• 6. D number of spatial dimensions 3

49
Rembrandt self-portrait