
Unsolved Brain Mysteries - nreece
http://health.howstuffworks.com/5-brain-mysteries.htm
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Allocator2008
I wonder if the "upper brain" segment, so pronounced in mammals could be
associated with the "meme machine" of Susan Blackmore, et al. In other words,
I wonder if whereas genetic evolutionary pressures were responsible for the
lower and mid sections of the brain, it would be interesting to explore if
"memetic" evolutionary pressures were largely involved in the development of
the upper brain. A related point I find interesting is inherited hard-wired
behavior. I read somewhere that infants might have a 'facial recognition
template' that enables them to recognize the female humanoid face, e.g. the
mother, and this template is 'pre-progammed' into their brain, without having
to be learned. If so, this would represent I think an example of a meme. The
female humanoid face could be a meme in some sense, which is hard-wired into
the "upper brain" segment of the infant. Just as the mid and lower sections of
the brain are focused on the promulgation of the "Selfish gene", perhaps the
sole purpose for the existence of the upper brain is the promulgation of the
"selfish meme", i.e. the upper brain is the "meme machine", and consciousness
(and ourselves in the sense of 'self' for that matter) is sort of an
accidental by-product of the meme machine - it is better for the meme for
there to be 'itentionality' about its replication, 'intentionality' is found
in consciousness, ergo, we have consciousness. Anyway cool article, and I like
the intro video explaining embryonic brain development in the humanoid.

