Month: November 2018

Ep 199: Unconscious learning, your brain, and savant syndrome

Ep 199: Unconscious learning, your brain, and savant syndrome

Unconscious learning, your brain, and savant syndrome

Today we talk about your brain and unconscious mechanisms of learning. From losing a skill for no apparent reason, to acquiring languages, to unfortunately learning paralysis and pain, to savants who apparently learn without consciously attempting to, we cover some oddities about the way your brain works and how you learn.

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Their first task was easy

Their first task was easy

Their first task was easy. Can the digital organisms I wrote, called “figures,” learn to call a good command and avoid a bad one?

My first job was easy. It only took 6 lines of code. Each digital creature, each “figure,” has a certain amount of energy.

Figure.energy = 12,168;

Each time a figure has a turn, (when they execute one command,) the energy level drops.

Energy=energy-1;

When a figure is out of energy, it dies. It is completely deleted from the system, leaving behind it’s children, if it had any.

If (figure.energy <= 0) Death.kill(figure) [scary music!] End if

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It’s about time I tried using my artificial life as an artificial intelligence

It’s about time I tried using my artificial life as an artificial intelligence

It’s about time I tried using my artificial life as an artificial intelligence. It’s been the goal since day one. Before I could do that, I had to come up with the algorithm in the first place, and then make sure that the figures could actually evolve. To evolve, they need to change, and some of those changes should help them survive and reproduce, passing on their successful tricks to their offspring.

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Ep 198: A rough sketch or two, of you, inside of you.

Ep 198: A rough sketch or two, of you, inside of you.

A rough sketch or two, of you, inside of you.

Inside your brain, there are individual neurons that correspond to specific places on your body. If you figure out which cell goes to what part, you’ll notice that the map in your brain looks like a nightmare sketch of you, drawn by a mad artist who’s only heard of humans by rough description. The body and legs are way too small, the hands are huge, your lips are oversized, and your face is upside-down. Today, Phil and I talk about these parts of the brain, with many side trips and much confusion.

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Ep 197: right brain, left side body; left brain, right side body… why?

Ep 197: right brain, left side body; left brain, right side body… why?

right brain, left side body; left brain, right side body… why?

Our brains have crossed wires. Each cerebral hemisphere controls the opposite side of the body. When I move my left hand, it’s my right brain that’s doing it. Today, Phil and I look at a theory about how and why that’s true for us, and every other animal with a spine.

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