Mathematical modeling of the brain - a warning.

Sue Pockett from New Zealand - who proposes a electromagnetic theory of consciousness (different to Johnjoe McFadden) recently published this article on - Mathematical modeling of the brain in the Journal of NeuroPhilosophy | Neuroscience + Philosophy.

I thought it was really quite good...

Ever since Thomas Malthus used simple mathematics to model the evolution of food production vs the increasing human population of planet Earth and declared that we would very soon eat ourselves out of house and home, politicians have been falling hook, line and sinker for mathematical models. This paper examines how and why the mathematical modelling of complex systems has proved unreasonably effective in convincing mathematically illiterate politicians to take practical measures that have turned out to be disastrous. It concludes with a warning, that mathematical modelling of the human brain is not a good strategy to pursue.

As two examples of mathematical modeling used in the paper are in controversial subjects, I've posted a link below to the hidden forums for discussion:

https://psiencequest.net/forums/thread-t...-modelling

Do you have a link to the paper?

Do you have a link to the paper?

I think @Max_B 's whole point is that the paper uses so many politicized examples that he felt it should go in the special sub-forums.

The title of the paper is The Unreasonable Political Effectiveness of Mathematical Modelling...I am not sure if I should link it so will wait for clarification from Max.

cheers,

Sci

I think @Max_B 's whole point is that the paper uses so many politicized examples that he felt it should go in the special sub-forums.

The title of the paper is The Unreasonable Political Effectiveness of Mathematical Modelling...I am not sure if I should link it so will wait for clarification from Max.

cheers,

Sci

Why make a post in this forum then?

Why make a post in this forum then?

Because the main idea and argument is interesting, possibly important and relevant across many different subject areas. It was only a minor complication that the examples chosen happened to cross some of this forum's boundaries. That does not mean those were the only possible examples or that the thesis would collapse without them.

Because the main idea and argument is interesting, possibly important and relevant across many different subject areas. It was only a minor complication that the examples chosen happened to cross some of this forum's boundaries. That does not mean those were the only possible examples or that the thesis would collapse without them.

ehh but neither the main idea or argument is present in this thread? This thread is the “Someone thinks mathematical modeling is bad because ehhhh thread”

ehh but neither the main idea or argument is present in this thread? This thread is the “Someone thinks mathematical modeling is bad because ehhhh thread”

All the information is contained in the very first sentence of the opening post of the thread. If it interests you, then you can read the paper; or perhaps you'd like a LMGTFY link.

All the information is contained in the very first sentence of the opening post of the thread. If it interests you, then you can read the paper; or perhaps you'd like a LMGTFY link.

Google doesn’t find the paper. Only a 2012 paper about “Electromagnectic theory of Consciousness”

Apparently Sue attributes some ‘magic’ to photons (why not some other elementary particle like the electron) so I’m interested in what she has to say about mathematics.

Google doesn’t find the paper. Only a 2012 paper about “Electromagnectic theory of Consciousness”

Apparently Sue attributes some ‘magic’ to photons (why not some other elementary particle like the electron) so I’m interested in what she has to say about mathematics.

You're right, that's odd Google can't find it even if you put in the whole title.

Here is the link for now, will delete as @Max_B or mods wish:

https://www.jneurophilosophy.com/index.p...view/69/78

It’s actually quite interesting that Google doesn’t find it. There must be a political filter applied.