We learn many high-level concepts too. It is estimated that each of us knows about forty thousand words. We have the ability to learn spoken language, written language, sign language, the language of mathematics, and the language of music. We learn how electronic forms work, what thermostats do, and even what empathy or democracy mean, although our understanding of these may differ. Independent of what other things the neocortex might do, we can say for certain that it learns an incredibly complex model of the world. This model is the basis of our predictions, perceptions, and actions.
