Connectionists: Practopoiesis—empirical predictions

[Danko Nikolic]

Dear all,

For those who are interested in practopoiesis, a revised version of the  
manuscript is available that now lists testable empirical predictions. 
An apparent lack of significant empirical predictions was the main 
critique I received. While I was saving those predictions for a separate 
manuscript the reviewers at a journal that is currently reviewing the 
paper asked me put the predictions already into this big manuscript (and 
they were probably right).

So, the result is that one can download the revised version with the 
empirical predictions here: http://www.danko-nikolic.com/practopoiesis/


Summary of the predictions: The key prediction of practopoietic theory 
is that cognition is implemented by the mechanisms of neural adaptation. 
Thus, it is not the widely-assumed network computations that produce 
cognitive operations. Instead, it is the mechanisms responsible for 
adapting the neural responses that create our perception, attention, 
decision making, capability to consciously understand, etc… The network 
dynamics serves its obvious function: delivering information. But it is 
the mechanisms or neural adaptation that ultimately create the mind 
within the brain.


The paper lists, in more details, the actual predictions that can be 
easily transformed into tests in laboratories. (If anyone needs help 
designing a study, please contact me. I’d be happy to collaborate.)

This makes practopoiesis a testable theory.

Also, the theory opens numerous interesting possibilities for 
computational studies. (Same here: I’d be happy to help develop research 
ideas.)



In addition to the empirical predictions, the revised version discusses 
in more detail the following:

- self-organization
- downward causation
- shielding of cybernetic knowledge
- flow of information towards lower levels of organization
- a philosophical summary of the theory (which is also laid out as a 
table attached to this message).


I would like to thank everyone for the great interest in practopoiesis 
expressed through so many downloads and visits to the website.


With kind regards,

Danko Nikolić


-- 
Prof. Dr. Danko Nikolić

Web:
http://www.danko-nikolic.com

Mail address 1:
Department of Neurophysiology
Max Planck Institut for Brain Research
Deutschordenstr. 46
60528 Frankfurt am Main
GERMANY

Mail address 2:
Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies
Wolfgang Goethe University
Ruth-Moufang-Str. 1
60433 Frankfurt am Main
GERMANY

----------------------------
Office: (..49-69) 96769-736
Lab: (..49-69) 96769-209
Fax: (..49-69) 96769-327
danko.nikolic at gmail.com
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