Customer Reviews

Mirror Neurons and the Evolution of Brain and Language (Advances in Consciousness Research)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The book brings together selected contributions to the symposium a *Mirror Neurons and the Evolution of Brain and Language" (July 5-8, 2000 in Germany). The aim of the symposium was to discuss the status of so called 'mirror neurons' and their potential consequences on our understanding of the brain evolution, social intelligence, behavioral role identification and theory of mind.

It is hard to overestimate the importance of this discovery. First of all, it provides a new model of cognition which is based on neuro-biology rather than intellectual speculation on our private sense of 'existence'. Currently, it is widely believed that such specifically human activities as language and the use of tools depend on wide scale developments and re-organization of neural functioning. These hypothesized neural features involve cascading networks of neural circuits with the highest level of unification, effectively engaging 'the brain as a whole.' It is important to note the 'source' of cognition according to this model. Cognition is the final outcome of analysis initiated by reception of sensory data. By accumulating many small decisions, the 'whole' emerges. This cognitive entity (a thought, perhaps) ends up producing responses (actions). Action is thus the end product of analysis. In terms of pop psychology, network enough computers and cognition will eventually emerge.

The discovery of mirror neurons by Rizzolatti and Arbib provide a strong argument against the 'cognition requires the whole brain' theory. The properties of mirror neurons seem to suggest instead that the so-called 'motor functions' of the nervous system are more complex than we have expected. Instead of building the brain from a single neural cell type, there seem to be at least 3 nerve types:
1) Motor neuron which stimulate muscle contraction,
2) Communication neurons which link motor neurons to the brain
3) Mirror neurons which, for lack of a better term, make decisions.

Yes, mirror neurons demonstrate single cell decision making abilities. Not only do mirror neurons, on an individual level, demonstrate an ability to control and execute action, they also demonstrate the ability to maintain an internal representation and compare that representation to sensory input. This is the antithesis of the 'whole brain' theory. It posits cognition exists at the cellular level. In this view, action-control and action-representation are both capacities of individual mirror neuron. Cognition precedes sensation. It exists of and for itself. Cognition seeks sensation rather then being the product of sensation.

Think about it.

I apologize for going into such broad speculations and ignoring specifics on the book in question. Be assured the above is my attempt to summarize important concepts raised by various articles.

The book is organized into 4 sections. Of the 4, only the first specifically addresses 'mirror neuron' research. The four sections are:
1) Current mirror neuron research.
2) Neurology papers that shed light on areas of interest to mirror neuron research.
3) Evolution papers that seek to use insights gained by mirror-neuron research
4) Computational models based on mirror-neuron models

The articles are uneven in quality. Keep in mind the timing of the conference. The year was 2000, prior to the 2004 reports that mirror neuron disfunction was implicated in autism. Some of the articles (Birten) understand the paradigm shift and anticipate the link, others miss the point.