One goal of researchers in neuroscience, psychology, and artificial
intelligence is to build theoretical models that can explain the
flexibility and adaptiveness of biological systems. How to Build a
Brain provides a guided exploration of a new cognitive architecture
that takes biological detail seriously while addressing cognitive
phenomena. The Semantic Pointer Architecture (SPA) introduced in
this book provides a set of tools for constructing a wide range of
biologically constrained perceptual, cognitive, and motor models.
Examples of such models are provided to explain a wide range of
data including single-cell recordings, neural population activity,
reaction times, error rates, choice behavior, and fMRI signals.
Each of the models addressed in the book introduces a major feature
of biological cognition, including semantics, syntax, control,
learning, and memory. These models are presented as integrated
considerations of brain function, giving rise to what is currently
the world's largest functional brain model. The book also compares
the Semantic Pointer Architecture with the current state of the
art, addressing issues of theory construction in the behavioral
sciences, semantic compositionality, and scalability, among other
considerations. The book concludes with a discussion of conceptual
challenges raised by this architecture, and identifies several
outstanding challenges for SPA and other cognitive architectures.
Along the way, the book considers neural coding, concept
representation, neural dynamics, working memory, neuroanatomy,
reinforcement learning, and spike-timing dependent plasticity.
Eight detailed, hands-on tutorials exploiting the free Nengo neural
simulation environment are also included, providing practical
experience with the concepts and models presented throughout.
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