Bus automata, brains, and mental models

Abstract

The author suggests that bus automata (BAs) may serve as better brain models than sequential computers of cellular automata. He proposes to view self-simulationability, together with the use of status flags and the like, as a primitive model of self-consciousness, analogous to viewing a regulator as exhibiting rudimentary purposive behavior. A discussion of what meanings might be ascribed in a BA context to terms like intelligence, pattern, theory, and meaning itself is also given. It is concluded that the BA-UTM (universal Turing machine) is a promising candidate for a brain model whose operation may actually be relevant to mental processes. Prospects for actual BA-UTM realization are briefly discussed.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">&gt;</ETX>