> Even if we accept the most fringe, anthropocentric theories like Penrose & Hammerhoff’s quantum tubules, that’s just a neural network with fancy weights.
First, while it is a fringe idea with little backing it, it's far from the most fringe.
Secondly, it is not at all known that animal brains are accurately modeled as an ANN, any more so than any other Turing-compatible system can be modeled as an ANN. Biological neurons are themselves small computers, like all living cells in general, with not fully understood capabilities. The way biological neurons are connected is far more complex than a weight in an ANN. And I'm not talking about fantasy quantum effects in microtubules, I'm talking about well-established biology, with many kinds of synapses, some of which are "multicast" in a spatially distinct area instead of connected to specific neurons. And about the non-neuronal glands which are known to change neuron behavior and so on.
How critical any of these differences are to cognition is anyone's guess at this time. But dismissing them and reducing the brain to a bigger NN is not wise.
First, while it is a fringe idea with little backing it, it's far from the most fringe.
Secondly, it is not at all known that animal brains are accurately modeled as an ANN, any more so than any other Turing-compatible system can be modeled as an ANN. Biological neurons are themselves small computers, like all living cells in general, with not fully understood capabilities. The way biological neurons are connected is far more complex than a weight in an ANN. And I'm not talking about fantasy quantum effects in microtubules, I'm talking about well-established biology, with many kinds of synapses, some of which are "multicast" in a spatially distinct area instead of connected to specific neurons. And about the non-neuronal glands which are known to change neuron behavior and so on.
How critical any of these differences are to cognition is anyone's guess at this time. But dismissing them and reducing the brain to a bigger NN is not wise.