How to Create a Mind: The Secret of Human Thought Revealed

by Ray Kurzweil

This suggests that our memories are sequential and in order. They can be accessed in the order that they are remembered. We are unable to directly reverse the sequence of a memory.

This suggests that there are no images, videos, or sound recordings stored in the brain. Our memories are stored as sequences of patterns. Memories that are not accessed dim over time.

we are constantly predicting the future and hypothesizing what we will experience. This expectation influences what we actually perceive.

All of our neurons are processing—considering the patterns—at the same time. That does not mean that they are all firing simultaneously (we would probably fall to the floor if that happened), but while doing their processing are considering the possibility of firing.

Every thought we have triggers other thoughts, and some of them will relate to associated dangers. We learn, for example, that breaking a cultural norm even in our private thoughts can lead to ostracism, which the neocortex realizes threatens our well-being.