The human brain is incredible at synthesizing and uncovering meaning from information but is largely deficient (compared to computers) at long-term memory storage and raw processing power. At various work experiences we've had over the years (both Google and Yelp), a common problem came up: critical information didn't arrive at the right place at t... See more
It’s common to compare the brain to a computer, but this is a deeply flawed analogy.
This insight was best captured in The Extended Mind – a book that reveals how intelligence exists well beyond our brain. A laptop operates the same whether it is on a desk in an office or on a bench in a park. But human brains are... See more
The metaphors we use shape how we view the world. Is the brain like a computer? Maybe, as Gurwinder says, the brain is the opposite: a machine that tries to circumvent thinking . Cognition costs time, and in a society that is information-rich and time-poor, people will use shortcuts to make decisions - feelings, aesthetics, environment, relationshi... See more
No! The brain doesn't seek to circumvent thinking, this misunderstands the optimisation that goes on. The brain seeks to circumvent (where possible) computation - because computation is not only inefficient, but very often ineffective. Incidentally, beware of writers who decide they are PCs and you are an NPC.