> From: Matt Mahoney [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > --- "John G. Rose" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Is there really a bit per synapse? Is representing a synapse with a > bit an > > accurate enough simulation? One synapse is a very complicated system. > > A typical neural network simulation uses several bits per synapse. A > Hopfield > net implementation of an associative memory stores 0.15 bits per > synapse. But > cognitive models suggest the human brain stores .000001 bits per > synapse. > (There are 10^15 synapses but human long term memory capacity is 10^9 > bits).
A cognitive model may only allocate so much data per synapse but the REAL data being stored in one biological synapse has got to be quite high. How much of it is unique among a group of synapses and how much of that affects the running biological cognitive entity grossly is in a degree particular to that brain. Any simulation that throws x bits per synapse IS a simulation and not a copy. A "copied" simulation could adapt itself to its new "home" if given enough latitude to model itself as it was in its biological host, if you are trying to copy a consciousness it depends on what it actually is, how much it can be simplified or molded to a digital transistor-like environment verses the rich unique electro-chemical environment of a biological brain. A simulation of a brain is a lossy compression since you can't get it all, each cell ultimately holds many gigs of data. You can try to get a functionally isomorphic compressed copy but due to the size you still going to have to average out much of it. A computer software simulation is going to be WAY more flexible and extensible. Biological electrochemical systems are, at least with current technology, not very changeable. But looking at the sophistication of natural molecular digital physics there has to a number of breakthroughs down the road... John ------------------------------------------- singularity Archives: http://www.listbox.com/member/archive/11983/=now RSS Feed: http://www.listbox.com/member/archive/rss/11983/ Modify Your Subscription: http://www.listbox.com/member/?member_id=4007604&id_secret=96140713-a54b2b Powered by Listbox: http://www.listbox.com
