New theory proposes ‘forgetting’ is a form of learning • Hacker News Board

Re: New theory proposes ‘forgetting’ is a form of learning

#71

Post by naasking » Sat, Jan 15, 2022, 1:51 PM UTC

hammock wrote: post #37

basch wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your comment, along with the article, confirm my biased beliefs that humans are less pattern matching machines than noise filtering machines. Pattern recognition is less about connecting dots than it is distinguishing and purging the unconnected. When that process goes awry, and we can’t discern disconnections, things like psychosis arise. Tangentially, it stimulates a connection to another though that sometimes flar…

What also does this mean for psychedelics? Could they "reopen" the filters that were earlier preventing new signals from being found? Something like switching from a digital radio dial (every .2 MHz) to an analog dial (everything in between) - you can find something you had missed before.

> Could they "reopen" the filters that were earlier preventing new signals from being found?

This actually is a leading theory of psychedelic action, ie. that they tear down filters we use to operate in the world.

Re: New theory proposes ‘forgetting’ is a form of learning

#72

Post by mwattsun » Sat, Jan 15, 2022, 2:24 PM UTC

“the engram – the physical embodiment of a memory”

This sounds like a grotesquely inadequate explanation of memory, along the lines of "vapours"

“My brain is only a receiver, in the Universe there is a core from which we obtain knowledge, strength and inspiration. I have not penetrated into the secrets of this core, but I know that it exists.” ~ Nikola Tesla

I rather like this idea that my brain is a receiver and my memories are stored in the cloud

Re: New theory proposes ‘forgetting’ is a form of learning

#73

Post by Pigalowda » Sat, Jan 15, 2022, 5:29 PM UTC

alecst wrote: post #28

My ex is a linguist, and she used to tell me about the “learning by forgetting” theory of the “phonological inventory” — which is a fancy way of saying “the sounds you can distinguish and produce.” The idea was that children were born able to distinguish all possible sounds, and over time forget the ones they are not exposed to. Interestingly she was a syntactician by training and would tell me that there are many pe…

That is synaptic pruning for language.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synaptic_pruning

Re: New theory proposes ‘forgetting’ is a form of learning

#74

Post by BearsEatBeats » Sun, Jan 16, 2022, 12:03 AM UTC

porknubbins wrote: post #18

lvmz wrote: post #17

I read something interesting recently about how most discussion of brain function is 'tainted' by metaphor, these days usually involving computers. Basically the concept was that our brains don't process and store information like a computer does, but because computers come the closest to accomplishing what our brains do it's the easiest point of reference for us when discussing brain function. Since I don't really k…

I wonder if conversely computer architecture is similar to the brain in at least some macro-structural ways because something about the function of the brain makes it easier for it to design something similar to itself.

look into neuromorphic computing

Re: New theory proposes ‘forgetting’ is a form of learning

#75

Post by ConfusedDog » Sun, Jan 16, 2022, 1:08 PM UTC

I have always been forgetful. I have never thought that was a problem. I often experience same things with repeated “love in first sight” reaction. My friends keep reminding we have done this before and I would not have recollection of that. I seem to have intentionally forgetting certain things just to experience them again, or not overthinking them that would cause any anxiety.

That’s why I hate year long lawsuits. I keep have to remember the details until the cases are settled. I want to move into woods to live in peace…