Neuroblog.net

Google to Host Open Source Scientific Data

admin — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 10:17:38 +0000

Google will be hosting open source scientific content, Wired has the story.

Google to Host Terabytes of Open-Source Science Data

Sources at Google have disclosed that the humble domain, http://research.google.com, will soon provide a home for terabytes of open-source scientific datasets. The storage will be free to scientists and access to the data will be free for all. The project, known as Palimpsest and first previewed to the scientific community at the Science Foo camp at the Googleplex last August, missed its original launch date this week, but will debut soon.

John Searle “Beyond Dualism”

admin — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 15:47:44 +0000

Thanks to ContraWagner on Youtube for uploading this talk! (for those that haven’t checked it out yet, youtube actually has a small philosophical community of people that contribute, and argue out positions in the form of video responses. Here is ContraWagners summary of the talk…. John Searles positions taken in this talk include:

* Rejects computational theory of mind with his Chinese Room argument.

* Rejects Cartesian dualism. Probably rejects property dualism as well.

* Study of consciousness using scientific method IS possible. This is very much against previously conceived notion that goes something like “consciousness is known subjectively only, thus scientific inquiry from third person perspective cannot explain consciousness.”

* Reduction of consciousness to neurobiological phenomena is not strictly possible since nuerobiological phenomena loses the qualitative feel of subjectivity. One must tackle this problem directly without eliminating consciousness.

* Rejects epiphenomenalism, so he admits free will is real. I think he now takes somewhat agnostic position on this issue.

Digital Manipulations of photographs to induce false memories.

admin — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 07:50:40 +0000

Thanks to Neurophilosophy i was pointed onto a very interesting article by Elizabeth Loftus, in the latest journal of Applied Cognitive Psychology about how changing photographs can dramatically change memory. From neurophilosopy:

“It was found that manipulation of the photographs influenced the participants’ memories of the events very strongly.”

Mo from neurophilosophy also raises the interesting point:

If misleading information can so easily distort previously encoded memories about past events, then memories of public events, and attitudes towards them, could be distorted even more drastically if doctored images are presented when the event is taking place (i.e. when memories of the event are being encoded).

Click for the post at Neurophilosophy.

Welcome to NeuroBlog.net

admin — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 06:28:29 +0000

This blog is a look at all aspects of neuroscience, from neuroanatomy to the project for a development of the science of consciousness. If you are particuarily interested or are an expert in brain mapping,

neuro chemistry, theoretical neuroscience, neuroanatomy, the philosophy of neuroscience, the philosophy of consciousness, neuropharmacology, networks, cognitive systems, programming, artificial intelligence, algorithyms, psychology or cognitive science and want to contribute to a blog which hopes to keep on top of developments and discussion in this area, get onto us and we will be more than happy to let you contribute.

Hello world!

admin — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 06:25:03 +0000

Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!