Concrete and Abstract Terms Processing in the Human Brain
ALEŠ GRMELA / NIKOS MASTORAKISAGCES Ltd. / Hellenic Naval Academy and WSEAS
AGCES, Levského 3221/1, Praha 4 / Ag. I.Theologou 17-23, 15773, Zografou, Athens
CZECH REPUBLIC / GREECE
Abstract: - The human brain has ability to process information. The whole body also has ability of processing information. But the Human Brain was developed especially for this purpose.
Key Words: - Concrete terms, Non-concrete terms, Abstract terms, Ideas, Material Objects, Immaterial Objects
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1Introduction
This is the fifth paper in the series of papers called Human Brain. The previous paper called Processing of Logical Functions in the Human Brain was introduced on the congress held in Crete 2002 organised by WSEAS.
The human brain is the most developed tissue as we know at present time. This tissue is composed of material elements as neurons, axons, dendrites and synapses.
Therefore it is comprehensible that the brain can process material objects. It can perceive them, name them, hold them in the memory and create them or create new material objects. The brain has ability to create new forms of existing forms.
But it is much less comprehensible that the human brain can process immaterial objects or terms. It can name them, it can hold such terms in the memory and it can develop new immaterial terms according to the needs.
This is one of the biggest differences of the human being from the animal being. Where we can find the difference between human brain and the animal brain.
We know that is so, but we do not know why. We do not know why the brain can process terms that eyes cannot see and hands cannot touch. Such information cannot come to the brain via any of senses we have.
The paper shows what are the possibilities the human brain can process immaterial objects or so called abstract terms.
The theory of information processing in the human brain described in [1] is supported by many events in the human life. The human brain processes concrete terms as well as abstract terms. The people can imagine how the human brain can process concrete terms.
It is difficult to imagine how the human brain processes abstract terms. The brain must do it. People understand the meaning of abstract terms and they use them very often. I assume that abstract terms must be processed by the existing brain structures; neurons and their connections.
Theories based on mysteries do not provide results reliable enough. It is better to look for processing of abstract terms in the existing structures that provide many more mysteries than theories based on mysteries.
2Information Processing in the Brain
The information processed by the brain is typically received by the sensors and compared with memory records already saved in the brain.
Processing of the human brain is described in the [1] and [2].
The equations 1 and 2 show processing in the human brain.
Y=M*X(1)
X=Y(2)
The X matrix is the set of all neuron outputs in the brain. The Y matrix is the set of all neuron inputs. The number of inputs is equal to the number of outputs. The M matrix shows connections of neuron outputs to the neuron inputs.
Graphically can be the processing using equation 1 and be depicted as follows in the Figure 1. Using these equation we can see only processing inside the brain without sensory inputs.
But sensory inputs are important to be included in our searching for the brain function. The graphical view is better to show how the equation 1 and 2 should be modified.
The M matrix is extended for processing having sensory inputs included by two columns. These two columns show coefficients controlling inputs from sensors.
Fig.1 – Processing of the human brain.
Y1 / M11 / M12 / M13 / X1Y2 / = / M21 / M22 / M23 / * / X2
Y3 / M31 / M32 / M33 / X3
Fig.2 – Processing of the human brain including sensory inputs.
Y1 / M11 / M12 / M13 / M14 / M15 / X1Y2 / = / M21 / M22 / M23 / M24 / M25 / * / X2
Y3 / M31 / M32 / M33 / M34 / M35 / X3
X4
X5
Where X4 and X5 are outputs of the sensory neurons connected to the brain.
The human brain reads data from sensors and adds this data with the data coming from the brain while creating the input data of the new quality. The input data is expressed by the Y matrix (elements Y1, Y2, Y3).
This chapter shows processing of the basic signals by the human brain. All these signals are transformed into terms which can be interpreted by the brain many different ways.
The paper shows special interpretation of signals as concrete and abstract terms.
3Concrete terms processing – material objects processing
The information about material objects come to the human brain via senses. We can see objects, touch them, smell them, taste them, hear them.
The real material objects as, for example, stones trees, etc. we can see, and touch. Some chemical substances we can taste and smell. And finally we can hear vibrations of the air caused as a result of vibrations of some material objects.
It looks as clear that we can “grasp” such object. It means we can assign some name to it. We can categorize such names and finally we can assign some actions to such objects we can do with them.
Some of such objects we cannot directly grasp by our senses. We must use some devices that transform these objects to the figures that our senses can grasp. But finally there are out senses that perceive such material objects.
The concrete objects are processed as it is shown in the Fig.2. The sensory inputs are included in the processing of data.
The everything we can perceive via our senses is of material substance either directly or indirectly.
However there are also some terms that are not and cannot be of material substance. They are totally immaterial.
4Abstract terms processing – immaterial objects processing
The information about non-concrete i.e. abstract terms is generated by the brain itself. It cannot come from any of sense.
The abstract term is just idea. The human brain can “grasp” also idea although human body cannot touch it, hear it, smell it, see it or taste it. The strength of the human brain imagination is so big that it can create material representations of the immaterial objects – ideas.
We use abstract terms without being surprised using it as if it was given to use from the all times we are on the Earth. But comparing to the animals we see that it must have been different way long time ago.
But it is not so easy to imagine how the human brain sets connections in case it creates records of the immaterial objects.
It is real fact that the brain grasps the immaterial terms using material objects it has in its tissue. Neurons and their connections creates using axons, dendrites and synapses are being used merely.
The abstract objects are processed as it is shown in the Fig.1. The sensory inputs are not included in the processing of data. It seems that processing as by the figure Fig.2 is more complex than the processing by the Fig.1. In the real it is not.
The processing by the Fig.1 shows processing in the brain itself. Higher quality of this type of processing shows the quality of the human brain. The goal of the study is to increase number of neurons that process abstract terms.
The goal of this work is not to fully discover how the human brain processes abstract. The goal is to show that it is one of the most interesting problems. Does the brain use memorizing words defining abstract terms or it use something else?
We can feel love and other abstract terms without giving them a name. We remember them, we feel that such feeling was anything new. It is not necessary to find a name for it. But people always find some name for anything.
5Development of abstract terms processing
The people from the times many thousand years ago were not able of using tools. They had to learn it from nature. The first stone and wooden tools were people able to use after long time of development.
The initial capacity of the human brain was closer to animals than to today’s people. The brain must develop itself by increasing its size. But later after many thousand years the capacity of the human brain increased so rapidly that other beings on the Earth could not compete with the human brain.
It is not very clear why just the human brain changed its size and capacity. Why such development did not occur at other species.
It seams that capacity of the human brain plays the most important role in the rapid development. But it is not only the capacity. Also the structure of the brain is important in the assessing the human brain abilities.
We can see that our brains are developed more that the animal brains. But we do not know how it happened and why it was so.
The huge capacity of the human brain gives us enough room for saving records wearing information about non- concrete objects.
When seeing the Fig.1 we realize easier how much important is to have the higher number of neurons and the stronger connections of these neurons. If we have it, our capability of abstract term processing will be better than for those having smaller M matrix.
6Wisdom
Wisdom is one of the very well know abstract term that is processed by the brain. Wisdom is rather characteristic of the brain. It is difficult to define wisdom precisely. The theories of the constructive and destructive memorizing and growth of the brain offer explanation to that term.
Some older people are considered to be wisdom whereas young people are not considered to be wisdom. Instead of this, the people say that young people are for example smart or clever or so, but not wisdom. The wisdom people do not have special good memory often they are not extremely clever or smart.
They have something that can not be taught or learnt. Wisdom must be developed during life. Memory records created during life have better or worse quality depending on acts or deeds of people. Acts or deeds can be either positive or negative. Therefore memory records in the brain can have better or worse quality. The wisdom people are able to build-up their brain structure better than other people.
The wisdom people have good stability of the brain. Therefore they can do work till their high age. Their productivity at this age is not huge but results of their work are good due to their great experience. The work is meant here regardless whether it is gardening or scientific work or any other work.
Wisdom people are those older people who have stable brain with relatively high brain power.
7Beauty, pleasure and pain
The beauty is another abstract term that only the human brain can process as far as we know. The theory of the human brain function can be valid only if it is valid also for processing of abstract terms
Processing of beauty is one of the most important characteristic of the human brain. The people can decide that something is beautiful and something is ugly but some people can do it better than other ones. People process beauty in the brain unintentionally. Some people have been thinking why is that so and what it is beauty.
Theory of parallel and serial processing the information in the human brain suggests that this theory can be used to explain processing of beauty. Therefore I tried to explain it using this theory.
The human brain is set of neurons and their connections. The human brain looks like a technical device that can process impulses and voltages. Can give the description of the human brain as of the computer acceptable solution this problem? This chapter shows that there exists chance.
Scientific experiments have revealed two regions in the brain that are responsible for processing of pain and pleasure. These experiments were made on rats using electrical excitation of both these regions.
- Exciting of the first region causes strong pain for the tested rat. The rat is very aggressive to the people who want to push the handle that excites the first region. The rat is able to do everything that would protect it against excitation of this region.
- Exciting of the second region causes great pleasure. In this case the rat efforts to push handle that sends impulses to this region. After long enough time the rat can die of hunger because it forgets to eat.
The human brain has also such regions. These regions at the human brains are often affected using chemical agents to cure some diseases. They are known as anti-depressive medicaments, for example. Some chemical agents cause pleasure but some can cause pain.
I tried to imagine how the brain can process pleasure and pain. In the beginning it is necessary to define what it is pleasure and what it is pain. The definitions are depicted here in this book in simplified form.
- Pain is feeling that causes unpleasant feelings. The unpleasant feelings are joined with anxiety and depression. The result of excitation of the brain region that causes pain is anxiety, depression and stronger muscle tension. The pain is joined with the serial processing. The brain waves have higher irregular frequency and lower amplitude. The electrode fastened in the region causing pain excites neurons in the brain. The high mental activity causes pain. This pain is not very strong and it can be easily overcome but when people do not have enough rest after brainwork so it can be noxious to the health. However adequate amount of pain can be useful. The growth of the brain is possible only through pain.
- Pleasure is feeling that causes pleasant feelings. The pleasant feelings are joined with relaxation. The result of excitation of the brain region that causes pleasure is relaxation. Therefore muscle tension is weaker. The relaxation is joined with the parallel processing. The brain waves have slower frequency and higher amplitude. The electrode fastened to the region causing pleasure inhibits some neurons and regions in the brain. Pleasure is very important to heal the body and brain illnesses and diseases. The body is able to create substances (based on morphine) that relax body due to overcome strong pain. These substances decrease brain activity to cause pleasure. Therefore some people intentionally cause pain themselves.
- Pleasure and pain have important relation. The pain is often followed by pleasure and pleasure is often followed by pain. This relation is caused by regulation and stability in the human brain.
Now let us approach to describe how the human brain can process beauty. This was goal of this chapter. I have noticed that when I enjoy seeing beautiful picture or wonderful landscape I feel relaxed. Contrary to this, when I see something dirty or ugly I feel stressed.
These feelings are not very strong but they exit. Some people can feel it better than others. This feeling distinguishes people with talent to arts from people who do not have this talent.
From this example I have realized that instead of concrete regions in the brain that control what is pleasure and pain, the whole brain can control it itself. These two regions have only stronger effect to the brain activity.
The human brain perceives beauty as step from the serial processing to the parallel processing. Other words it is step from excitation to inhibition of some brain parts.
8Will, Longing and Love
Will, longing and love, are three so called abstract terms that characterize people and the human brain. People can imagine how the brain can process movement or regulation of internal temperature or everything that can be called as concrete or non abstract term.
I think that everyone knows that all these three terms are processed by the brain. There is no any other chance how else they could be processed. The numerical integrating methods described in this book have shown how the brain can work.
Theories must be verified on as many examples as it is possible. I am not sure that it so. Therefore I have to take into account all possible function of the brain I know to judge that these methods are valid for this purpose.
Will and longing are two terms characterizing the human brain but it is not known that animals would have ability to control theirs behavior by will and longing. Most probably the will and longing are processed by frontal lobes. Injury of these frontal lobes or when they are disconnected operationally from other parts of the brain.
This injury to frontal lobes causes often change of the personality depending on the range of the injury. Such operation is called lobotomy. This operation had been used to cure some mental diseases. Main disadvantage of this operation was partial or complete loss of patient’s personality. The part of personality is of course will and longing.