The Mathematical Mind

 

People see that a human mind can handle symbolic mathematical operations, and deduce from that that the operation of the human mind can be equated to Algebra, with its ability to rearrange equations and have a desired variable alone on the left hand side.

Firstly, if you have ever had to use Existential Quantifiers, you would salivate over the simplicity of “he can’t swim”.

 

In a real situation, like a plane taking off, there are many things happening. The fuselage was sitting on the undercarriage and supporting the wings, but soon the fuselage will be supported by the wings, and the undercarriage will be stowed away. The brain doesn’t spend its time rearranging equations – too slow and unwieldy, for a start. It has built an undirected model and forces flow where they may in the structure the equations represent.

 

When you say

X^2 + 3*x = 7

there is an implied time when this is true – now, say, or always.

 

What you cannot easily say is

Frank was a lovely baby, but look at him now, fifty years later, with pain etched in his face.

 

The workings of the brain have no similarity with Algebra – the brain is far more powerful and versatile. Yes, it can do Algebra, but it can do many things, none of which defines it.

 

To put it politely, neurosymbolics is one more dead end, based on a serious misunderstanding.

 

People can describe a much more complex situation in their native language than they can with mathematics, another reason why this notion should be flushed away. There is enough of a problem with the Four Pieces Limit, without compounding it by using a narrow and clunky language.