Whilst it sounds a lot like a frat party for African Hippopotami, it's actually an integral part of the human limbic system located in the brain.
Its primary function is used in both long and short term memory as well and spatial conception.
Both hemispheres of the human brain have a hippocampus present, shaped similar to a small hose or banana it occupies a tiny area inside the medial temporal lobe.
Kind of interesting really.
Everything for a reason eh!
Who would've thought - From a hippopotamus.
Monday, August 26, 2013
Sunday, August 25, 2013
Psychophysics
Psychophysics helps us understand the relationship between the capacity of one's potential discernment relative to the sets of stimuli involved.
Modern Psychophysics works to measure how a respondent behaves in relation to the different sensory stimuli in question.
By understanding this powerful consanguinity, researchers learn more about human senses and capabilities.
The tests are quite objective as sound, touch, brightness, taste, and smell can be accurately measured.
Now to run some psychophysics on me using chocolate.
I'm quite happy to be the guinea pig in this little experiment, although, I know what the outcome is most likely to be.
Me + Chocolate = Happy
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Reasoning - The three modes of inference
Fascinating is the knowledge that we learn so much every decade and re-evaluate different positions.
Logic will always be exactly that, logic. How we reach logical conclusions depends very much on our ability to reason using the skill set we have at our disposal. Those versed well in the application of logic, critical thinking and deductive reasoning have a better likelihood of formulating a logical outcome than those absent in said skills.
A long time ago, a man named Charles. S. Peirce introduced the three modes of inference, which were in his view the cornerstones of applicable reasoning.
The first is deduction, the drawing of a conclusion by reasoning; the act of deducing.
The second is induction, which is the means to apply further knowledge to extract the most correct result, more of a supplementary and complementary inference than deduction.
The third is abduction, the process of reasoning to the best explanations maybe correct most of the time, but maybe subject to a fallacy, due to lack of input factors.
Using these three modes of inference, a conclusion can be reached that is more logical in its entirety.
No matter what, still a reasonable hypothesis and groundbreaking at the time
Brilliant stuff.
Logic will always be exactly that, logic. How we reach logical conclusions depends very much on our ability to reason using the skill set we have at our disposal. Those versed well in the application of logic, critical thinking and deductive reasoning have a better likelihood of formulating a logical outcome than those absent in said skills.
A long time ago, a man named Charles. S. Peirce introduced the three modes of inference, which were in his view the cornerstones of applicable reasoning.
The first is deduction, the drawing of a conclusion by reasoning; the act of deducing.
The second is induction, which is the means to apply further knowledge to extract the most correct result, more of a supplementary and complementary inference than deduction.
The third is abduction, the process of reasoning to the best explanations maybe correct most of the time, but maybe subject to a fallacy, due to lack of input factors.
Using these three modes of inference, a conclusion can be reached that is more logical in its entirety.
No matter what, still a reasonable hypothesis and groundbreaking at the time
Brilliant stuff.
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Exercise Your Brain
Being Stoopid Sucks
Everyone would prefer to be smarter than they are now. There are many tangible benefits to high-level intelligence, including career possibilities, problem-solving abilities, stress reduction and being able to remember where you left the car keys.
Your Brain Is Important & Using It Helps.
Using it daily is a no brainer (pun intended - sorry!). The good news is, that using it more than less leads to a much more effective mind.
Mentally Effective
Your mental abilities rely on regular usage of the gray matter between your ears. If you stop at any time, no matter how smart you are, you will lose some of the brainpower, you've developed.
Benefits Abound
Keeping sharp and on the ball has a lot of positive effects on your life. Increased sports performance and better test results are just a few of the benefits you can see immediately.
Read and Train
Reading books, completing a crossword in the Sunday newspaper or just keeping alert and active, can all help retain your cognitive abilities.
Endless Resources At Your Fingertips
There are too many brain training programs available to mention here, so a quick Google will help you to find what you're looking for.
No Excuses
Keep on training and using your mind or risk losing it.
Everyone would prefer to be smarter than they are now. There are many tangible benefits to high-level intelligence, including career possibilities, problem-solving abilities, stress reduction and being able to remember where you left the car keys.
Your Brain Is Important & Using It Helps.
Using it daily is a no brainer (pun intended - sorry!). The good news is, that using it more than less leads to a much more effective mind.
Mentally Effective
Your mental abilities rely on regular usage of the gray matter between your ears. If you stop at any time, no matter how smart you are, you will lose some of the brainpower, you've developed.
Benefits Abound
Keeping sharp and on the ball has a lot of positive effects on your life. Increased sports performance and better test results are just a few of the benefits you can see immediately.
Read and Train
Reading books, completing a crossword in the Sunday newspaper or just keeping alert and active, can all help retain your cognitive abilities.
Endless Resources At Your Fingertips
There are too many brain training programs available to mention here, so a quick Google will help you to find what you're looking for.
No Excuses
Keep on training and using your mind or risk losing it.
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Cortical Mapping
A Universe Of Knowledge In Your Mind
Just like Earth has a well documented and well used navigational map, your brain has one too.
Now, we haven't made such advances that we know everything about the brain and how every single brain cell relates to the next, but every person still has their own cortical map regardless.
Your own cortical map is the mapping of neural networks inside your brain and the depiction of activity therein.
Active Neurons Everywhere
Neurons firing all over your brain change direction and paths as your brain molds itself to suit purpose.
As new information is obtain, sometimes pathways will change to be more efficient and sometimes existing paths will bridge to ensure a more functional mind.
Synaptic Pruning
This process is called synaptic pruning, as the brain literally prunes areas to give the ultimate efficiency. By doing this, your brain can more efficiently process information and complete economic use of your internal synaptic resources.
Brain Injury And Remapping
When injured, your cortical map will obviously change as parts of the brain may now function to a lesser capacity and other parts of the brain may become more stimulated as a response mechanism to the injury.
This excess neuronal growth can be seen in periods of remapping in which parts of the brain may take on additional activity and become involved in processes beyond their normal usual involvement.
Pioneers Of The Mind
Doug Rasmusson, Jon Kass and Michael Merzenich are three of the pioneers of using the mapping of the brain.
Just like Earth has a well documented and well used navigational map, your brain has one too.
Now, we haven't made such advances that we know everything about the brain and how every single brain cell relates to the next, but every person still has their own cortical map regardless.
Your own cortical map is the mapping of neural networks inside your brain and the depiction of activity therein.
Active Neurons Everywhere
Neurons firing all over your brain change direction and paths as your brain molds itself to suit purpose.
As new information is obtain, sometimes pathways will change to be more efficient and sometimes existing paths will bridge to ensure a more functional mind.
Synaptic Pruning
This process is called synaptic pruning, as the brain literally prunes areas to give the ultimate efficiency. By doing this, your brain can more efficiently process information and complete economic use of your internal synaptic resources.
Brain Injury And Remapping
When injured, your cortical map will obviously change as parts of the brain may now function to a lesser capacity and other parts of the brain may become more stimulated as a response mechanism to the injury.
This excess neuronal growth can be seen in periods of remapping in which parts of the brain may take on additional activity and become involved in processes beyond their normal usual involvement.
Pioneers Of The Mind
Doug Rasmusson, Jon Kass and Michael Merzenich are three of the pioneers of using the mapping of the brain.
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