Saturday, December 6, 2014

Brain as a Computer System

Materialistic brain research as remained in the purview of medical science.  Mere identification and chemical analysis of brain tissues may not help in understanding the working of brain. Loss of memory due to damage to brain tissues or malfunctioning of some organs can be related to brain damage and brain locations can be linked to functions. However, material research is not going to throw more light on memory management system.

 In computer architecture,  operating system, application programs and the memory all have physical existence, still any one in isolation does not have any capability of action. Similarly though the memory is stored in form of chemical compounds, and emotions and intelligence must also have physical existence, they do not have any value unless the interpretation algorithm is known.  This algorithm is like operating system in computer.

Recent advances in computer science, information processing  and storage may help in developing better understanding of brain functioning

Some of the terms used in computer science can be directly applied to brain functioning.

BIOS memory – It is the memory storage related to input-output sensory organs which comes through inheritance via chromosomes

Booting – It indicates installation of operating system in computer. It configures IO devices, installs file system and initiates memory location link registers. In Brain, it creates location based mapping for  storing memory. Booting event  could be termed as birth of consciousness .

Formating – This clears all registers and memory looses its meaning. Such effect may be observed in serious damage to brain due to accident, where all memory gets delinked from the consciousness.

Read only (ROM)and Random access memory(RAM)  In brain it means stored memory (ROM) and memory in use by conscious mind.

Program – Specific desired activity. In case of computer program, the program execution time does not change even though the program is executed any number of times. In brain, response activity becomes faster with repetition and after sufficient repetitions it becomes automatic without involving consciousness.

Class and Objects  - Memory management tools developed by intelligence for making decision about response to perceptions.They may be arithmetic, logical, verbal or action oriented and their origin may be learning activity or propaganda induced beliefs.

Database – In computer system, the  data remains constant over time. In brain, the data is constantly modified due to impact of new perceptions. Frequently used  memory information may get strengthened, whereas some may become inaccessible or may loose minor context links.  

Compiling the program – Use of intelligence to modify the response based on experience or acquired knowledge.

Server – Browser analogy -  Local host Server represents the knowledge stored as experience memory in brain of the individual. Remote server is the surrounding environment  which supplies the information through sense organs. Browser is the conscious mind which  receives perceptions and molds them into writable memory as experience.

Bad Sectors -  Damage to brain causing loss of memory or disorganization of thought process.

 Sleep Mode - Like computer, consciousness reduces energy consumption in sleep by keeping only subconsciousness active. Anasthetic medicines can force consciousness to sleep.

Virus and Malaware attack - Alcohol and intoxicating drugs can affect the functioning of consciousness

Firewall - Generally prejudice develops protection to acquired experience memory to refuse access of perceptions contrary to beliefs.

The comparison can be extended to cloud storage and cloud computing and  linked with social consciousness of communities.











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