Speculative meandering postulate: Evolutionary theorists use the laryngeal nearve to suggest that there is no intelligent designer because it follows a seemingly useless path from brain around the heart before returning up to reach the larnyx [ see wikipedia or dawkins dissecting a giraffe ].
Poetry might suggest that the laryngeal nerve is reaching downward for a brief proximal consultation with cardio-neurons (affect-check) before activating voice.
“… a distinct compulsive behavioral disorder is associated with mutant microglia.”
Chen et al. Cell, Volume 141, Issue 5, 775-785, 28 May 2010
“…consciously perceived words were accompanied by long-lasting effects (>200 ms) across a great variety of cortical sites, with a special involvement of the prefrontal lobes. This sustained pattern of neural activity was characterized by a specific increase of coherence between distant areas, suggesting conscious perception is broadcasted widely across the cortex.”
Gaillard, Raphaël et al. 2009. “Converging Intracranial Markers of Conscious Access.” PLoS Biology 7(3): e61 EP -.
To Do or Not to Do: The Neural Signature of Self-Control:
“Our results suggest that the human brain network for intentional action includes a control structure for self-initiated inhibition or withholding of intended actions. The mental control of action has an enduring scientific interest, linked to the philosophical concept of “free will.” Our results identify a candidate brain area that reflects the crucial decision to do or not to do.”
“Diffusion spectrum imaging (DSI) … uses magnetic resonance signals to track the movement of water molecules in the brain: water diffuses along the length of neural wires, called axons. Scientists can use these diffusion measurements to map the wires, creating a detailed blueprint of the brain’s connectivity.”
“In this study, we reconstructed visual images by combining local image bases of multiple scales, whose contrasts were independently decoded from fMRI activity by automatically selecting relevant voxels and exploiting their correlated patterns.”
“Today, researchers are finding evidence that a category of glial cells, termed astrocytes, play an active role in brain function by promoting the activity of neurons.”
Image and text copyright © Dennis Kunkel.
“Recent advances in human neuroimaging have shown that it is possible to accurately decode a person’s conscious experience based only on non-invasive measurements of their brain activity.”
In layman’s terms: “Mindreading scientists predict behavior”
“Think of the 100 billion times per day humans click on a Web page as a way of teaching the Machine what we think is important. Each time we forge a link between words, we teach it an idea.”
Kevin Kelly. We are the Web. Wired. Issue 13.08 – August 2005
“The brain needs no central-control mechanism to direct mental life; interactions within and among networks do the trick.”
