Comments on: History’s Top Brain Computation Insights: Day 2 http://www.neurevolution.net/2007/04/03/historys-top-brain-computation-insights-day-2/ Chronicling the cognitive revolution in neuroscience Wed, 20 Aug 2008 03:42:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: MT http://www.neurevolution.net/2007/04/03/historys-top-brain-computation-insights-day-2/#comment-1314 MT Thu, 21 Jun 2007 09:38:27 +0000 http://www.neurevolution.net/2007/04/03/historys-top-brain-computation-insights-day-2/#comment-1314 "Galvanize" is no big whup, homage-wise. Electricity itself was once "galvanism," and the term is alive in use for battery-driven current. “Galvanize” is no big whup, homage-wise. Electricity itself was once “galvanism,” and the term is alive in use for battery-driven current.

]]> By: P.L. http://www.neurevolution.net/2007/04/03/historys-top-brain-computation-insights-day-2/#comment-417 P.L. Wed, 04 Apr 2007 16:07:21 +0000 http://www.neurevolution.net/2007/04/03/historys-top-brain-computation-insights-day-2/#comment-417 <p>This was a really fascinating insight when compared to the earlier ideas of the brain as a system which distills and evaporates the "spirits" (e.g. Willis in the 1600s). Later, in the late 1700s, Haller brought up that some people thought of the brain as electrical, but he argued that elecrtical currents would not remain confined to the nerves:</p> <blockquote> <p>"But concerning the nature of this nervous liquid, there are many doubts. Many of the moderns will have it to be extremely elastic, of an etherial or of an electrical matter [...]. An electrical matter is, indeed, very powerful, and fit for motion; but then it is not confinable within the nerves since it penetrates throughout the whoe animal to which it is communicated.... but [...] this liquid must be of a nature that will make it flow through and be contained within the small pipes of the nerves. And a ligature on the nerve takes away sense and motion, but cannot stop the motion of a torrent of electrical matter."</p> </blockquote> <p>One does have to wonder how much the metaphors we use to understand brain function are coupled to contemporary technologies (e.g. electricity, Internet). =)</p> <p>-PL</p> This was a really fascinating insight when compared to the earlier ideas of the brain as a system which distills and evaporates the "spirits" (e.g. Willis in the 1600s). Later, in the late 1700s, Haller brought up that some people thought of the brain as electrical, but he argued that elecrtical currents would not remain confined to the nerves:

"But concerning the nature of this nervous liquid, there are many doubts. Many of the moderns will have it to be extremely elastic, of an etherial or of an electrical matter […]. An electrical matter is, indeed, very powerful, and fit for motion; but then it is not confinable within the nerves since it penetrates throughout the whoe animal to which it is communicated…. but […] this liquid must be of a nature that will make it flow through and be contained within the small pipes of the nerves. And a ligature on the nerve takes away sense and motion, but cannot stop the motion of a torrent of electrical matter."

One does have to wonder how much the metaphors we use to understand brain function are coupled to contemporary technologies (e.g. electricity, Internet). =)

-PL

]]>