A Thousand Brains: A New Theory of Intelligence

by Jeff Hawkins

Mountcastle based his proposal for a universal algorithm on several lines of evidence. First, as I have already mentioned, is that the detailed circuits seen everywhere in the neocortex are remarkably similar. If I showed you two silicon chips with nearly identical circuit designs, it would be safe to assume that they performed nearly identical functions. The same argument applies to the detailed circuits of the neocortex. Second is that the major expansion of the modern human neocortex relative to our hominid ancestors occurred rapidly in evolutionary time, just a few million years. This is probably not enough time for multiple new complex capabilities to be discovered by evolution, but it is plenty of time for evolution to make more copies of the same thing. Third is that the function of neocortical regions is not set in stone. For example, in people with congenital blindness, the visual areas of the neocortex do not get useful information from the eyes. These areas may then assume new roles related to hearing or touch. Finally, there is the argument of extreme flexibility. Humans can do many things for which there was no evolutionary pressure. For example, our brains did not evolve to program computers or make ice cream—both are recent inventions. The fact that we can do these things tells us that the brain relies on a general-purpose method of learning. To me, this last argument is the most compelling. Being able to learn practically anything requires the brain to work...