Human Development XII: A Theory for the Structure and Function of the Human Brain
The human brain is probably the most complicated single structure in the biological universe. The cerebral cortex that is traditionally connected with consciousness is extremely complex. The brain contains approximately 1,000,000 km of nerve fibers, indicating its enormous complexity and which makes...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2008-01-01
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| Series: | The Scientific World Journal |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1100/tsw.2008.7 |
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| _version_ | 1849396098847735808 |
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| author | Søren Ventegodt Tyge Dahl Hermansen Isack Kandel Joav Merrick |
| author_facet | Søren Ventegodt Tyge Dahl Hermansen Isack Kandel Joav Merrick |
| author_sort | Søren Ventegodt |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The human brain is probably the most complicated single structure in the biological universe. The cerebral cortex that is traditionally connected with consciousness is extremely complex. The brain contains approximately 1,000,000 km of nerve fibers, indicating its enormous complexity and which makes it difficult for scientists to reveal the function of the brain. In this paper, we propose a new model for brain functions, i.e., information-guided self-organization of neural patterns, where information is provided from the abstract wholeness of the biophysical system of an organism (often called the true self, or the “soul”). We present a number of arguments in favor of this model that provide self-conscious control over the thought process or cognition. Our arguments arise from analyzing experimental data from different research fields: histology, anatomy, electroencephalography (EEG), cerebral blood flow, neuropsychology, evolutionary studies, and mathematics. We criticize the popular network theories as the consequence of a simplistic, mechanical interpretation of reality (philosophical materialism) applied to the brain. We demonstrate how viewing brain functions as information-guided self-organization of neural patterns can explain the structure of conscious mentation; we seem to have a dual hierarchical representation in the cerebral cortex: one for sensation-perception and one for will-action. The model explains many of our unique mental abilities to think, memorize, associate, discriminate, and make abstractions. The presented model of the conscious brain also seems to be able to explain the function of the simpler brains, such as those of insects and hydra. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b254f3afa0564be7bf484cf81faab49e |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1537-744X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2008-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Scientific World Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-b254f3afa0564be7bf484cf81faab49e2025-08-20T03:39:26ZengWileyThe Scientific World Journal1537-744X2008-01-01862164210.1100/tsw.2008.7Human Development XII: A Theory for the Structure and Function of the Human BrainSøren Ventegodt0Tyge Dahl Hermansen1Isack Kandel2Joav Merrick3Quality of Life Research Center, Classensgade 11C, 1 sal, DK-2100 Copenhagen O, DenmarkQuality of Life Research Center, Classensgade 11C, 1 sal, DK-2100 Copenhagen O, DenmarkFaculty of Social Sciences, Department of Behavioral Sciences, Ariel University Center, Samaria, Ariel, IsraelNational Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Jerusalem, IsraelThe human brain is probably the most complicated single structure in the biological universe. The cerebral cortex that is traditionally connected with consciousness is extremely complex. The brain contains approximately 1,000,000 km of nerve fibers, indicating its enormous complexity and which makes it difficult for scientists to reveal the function of the brain. In this paper, we propose a new model for brain functions, i.e., information-guided self-organization of neural patterns, where information is provided from the abstract wholeness of the biophysical system of an organism (often called the true self, or the “soul”). We present a number of arguments in favor of this model that provide self-conscious control over the thought process or cognition. Our arguments arise from analyzing experimental data from different research fields: histology, anatomy, electroencephalography (EEG), cerebral blood flow, neuropsychology, evolutionary studies, and mathematics. We criticize the popular network theories as the consequence of a simplistic, mechanical interpretation of reality (philosophical materialism) applied to the brain. We demonstrate how viewing brain functions as information-guided self-organization of neural patterns can explain the structure of conscious mentation; we seem to have a dual hierarchical representation in the cerebral cortex: one for sensation-perception and one for will-action. The model explains many of our unique mental abilities to think, memorize, associate, discriminate, and make abstractions. The presented model of the conscious brain also seems to be able to explain the function of the simpler brains, such as those of insects and hydra.http://dx.doi.org/10.1100/tsw.2008.7 |
| spellingShingle | Søren Ventegodt Tyge Dahl Hermansen Isack Kandel Joav Merrick Human Development XII: A Theory for the Structure and Function of the Human Brain The Scientific World Journal |
| title | Human Development XII: A Theory for the Structure and Function of the Human Brain |
| title_full | Human Development XII: A Theory for the Structure and Function of the Human Brain |
| title_fullStr | Human Development XII: A Theory for the Structure and Function of the Human Brain |
| title_full_unstemmed | Human Development XII: A Theory for the Structure and Function of the Human Brain |
| title_short | Human Development XII: A Theory for the Structure and Function of the Human Brain |
| title_sort | human development xii a theory for the structure and function of the human brain |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1100/tsw.2008.7 |
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