The higher levels operate by means of the lower, not instead of them.
In the case of the cortex vs. the limbic system, that is clearly not the case. The two inhibit each other—when one becomes active, the other’s activity is reduced.
The layers are even approximately reflected in the brain’s gross structure—the newer layers are usually stretched above and across the more primitive ones. This is especially clear when brains from different animals are compared.
The models of brain behavior taken from AI architectures—which is going in the wrong direction, but that’s what some people do—would say that there is an ordered hierarchy of behaviors. That is, if behavior A sometimes inhibits behavior B, then behavior B never inhibits behavior A.
I think that’s wrong for the brain in general. But I don’t know if older layers can inhibit newer layers. Can they?
But I don’t know if older layers can inhibit newer layers. Can they?
The answer is a resounding ‘yes’, at least in the sense that sufficient activation of the older parts retards the functioning of the newer.
People with sufficient limbic system activation (rage, disgust, sexual arousal, etc.) literally cannot think in a rational or sophisticated manner. Their ability to control and direct their behavior becomes impaired, and they tend to act impulsively.
In the case of the cortex vs. the limbic system, that is clearly not the case. The two inhibit each other—when one becomes active, the other’s activity is reduced.
The layers are even approximately reflected in the brain’s gross structure—the newer layers are usually stretched above and across the more primitive ones. This is especially clear when brains from different animals are compared.
The models of brain behavior taken from AI architectures—which is going in the wrong direction, but that’s what some people do—would say that there is an ordered hierarchy of behaviors. That is, if behavior A sometimes inhibits behavior B, then behavior B never inhibits behavior A.
I think that’s wrong for the brain in general. But I don’t know if older layers can inhibit newer layers. Can they?
The answer is a resounding ‘yes’, at least in the sense that sufficient activation of the older parts retards the functioning of the newer.
People with sufficient limbic system activation (rage, disgust, sexual arousal, etc.) literally cannot think in a rational or sophisticated manner. Their ability to control and direct their behavior becomes impaired, and they tend to act impulsively.