A new paper provides fascinating insight into how our brains amass information and organize and assess it in real-time.
The paper—Cliques of Neurons Bound into Cavities Provide a Missing Link between Structure and Function—proposes that “the brain processes stimuli by forming increasingly complex functional cliques and cavities.”
The full intro to the paper:
The lack of a formal link between neural network structure and its emergent function has hampered our understanding of how the brain processes information. We have now come closer to describing such a link by taking the direction of synaptic transmission into account, constructing graphs of a network that reflect the direction of information flow, and analyzing these directed graphs using algebraic topology. Applying this approach to a local network of neurons in the neocortex revealed a remarkably intricate and previously unseen topology of synaptic connectivity. The synaptic network contains an abundance of cliques of neurons bound into cavities that guide the emergence of correlated activity. In response to stimuli, correlated activity binds synaptically connected neurons into functional cliques and cavities that evolve in a stereotypical sequence toward peak complexity. We propose that the brain processes stimuli by forming increasingly complex functional cliques and cavities.
The cliques of neurons that grow and connect in real-time make up the transient “architecture” of awareness as it changes and responds to stimuli.
You can observe a process that seems to fit this description by simply turning your head and looking around. As your eye settles on something to consider in more detail, neuronic cliques will grow in your brain based on that stimulus.
Depending on the significance to you of what you are looking at, further associations drawn from memory and emotion will aggregate around it.
Interestingly, the concept of transient neuronal cliques that grow into larger structures fits very well with the Buddha’s Five Skandhas explanation of the path between perception and consciousness.
This paper also seems to explain why FIML practice works. FIML interrupts the (re)formation of habitual neuronal cliques in real-time, thus preventing the (re)association of established mental states with new perceptions.
By consciously interfering with habitual neuronal cliques, FIML eliminates the false and unwanted psychological structures that give rise to them.
FIML works because large psychological brain structures rely on reconsolidation through the continual processing of “new” information that falsely reconfirms them.
As such, human psychology to a large extent is an ongoing self-fulfilling prophesy.
Here is an article about the paper: Brain Architecture: Scientists Discover 11 Dimensional Structures That Could Help Us Understand How the Brain Works.
The simplest definition of narcissism is “narrow or reduced interpretation(s) of psychological signs.”
This is a functional definition that provides insight into a wide range of human psychological reactions.
A broad example of psychological narcissism using the above definition is alcoholism which reduces sign interpretation due both to inebriation and toxicity.
Notice this definition does not presuppose anything psychological about the alcoholic. Alcoholism reduces sign interpretation due to the chemical properties of ethanol.
Alcoholism damages and simplifies the brain’s capacity to entertain multiple interpretations of signs. This is the core reason why so many alcoholics display narcissistic behaviors.
Somewhat similarly, small children can be functionally “narcissistic” because their brains are not developed. Like an alcoholic on the other side of life, a small child simply does not have the brain complexity to entertain multiple interpretations.
Narcissism is a simple and very basic operating system. This is why it is a normal option for both undeveloped and alcoholic brains.
The cure for narcissism is help the narcissist see multiple interpretations.
I believe that most if not all psychological analyses of individuals should be applicable to groups of people and vice versa.
Thus, a group with a reduced interpretation of signs will probably be a narcissistic group.
Groups that insist on a single interpretation of the past or the present are examples of this.
The following vid very quickly goes over the absurdity of these “investigations” continuing any further.
We are at levels of corruption as bad as it gets anywhere in the world.
Relevant, very good article: Are We Nearing Civil War? Provides a clear overview of what is happening.
I believe the James Comey leaks will be far more prevalent than anyone ever thought possible. Totally illegal? Very ‘cowardly!’ (Source)
If you don’t love Donald Trump you are not paying attention. ABN
Shows manufacture of a cultural sign, or semiotic. Note the trouble they go to and the absurdity of so many waiting for that dinky optic. Once on TV it will slide into the brains of most viewers as a piece of reality. This kind of almost parodic material works because the public is conditioned to accept it. ABN
