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We made up how to measure time, rather than making up time itself. We observed that change is a process that requires things don't happen all at once. We observed many things that we understood better when we measured them using some sort of standard. We observed how important it was to know how long and how wide and how tall something was, as well as how long it took to build it. We observed all these dimensions, and the more we started measuring them, the better our tool-making skills and construction skills became.

We know things change. If there were no time, that would be impossible. Essentially all concepts are made up in our mind. Length and weight and density and brightness are similar examples. Some concepts are more useful than others, but just because we’ve created words to describe them doesn’t make them any less real. They’d still exist even if we did not.

What would it mean if time were “made up”? If there is no way to distinguish “made up” from “real”, then the distinction is meaningless. How could one tell?

You are still missing the point I made many posts ago: the business of government requires a host of policy decisions, made all the time in response to evolving issues and events.. You cannot submit more than a tiny fraction of these to the laborious mechanics of a referendum. So you simply have to elect people, to whom you entrust the making of these decisions as they come up. And then you hold them to account periodically for their stewardship. Anyone can cherry-pick some contentious issue and claim it has been, or will be, badly handled by a particular elected politician. Pointing this out is easy but completely fails to address the practical issue of the huge number of referenda required if you were instead to subject every policy to a process like that. You are not putting forward any workable alternative process. Pointing fingers at defects is easy but not constructive.

I think it’s more that he has no real expertise to lend, so it doesn’t matter much.

It simply doesn't. What we know is that the a lot of more is needed. There is a list of things folks assume is needed, but so far putting them into a membrane has not yielded a viable cells. This is why I mentioned that we need to figure out what is needed minimally first, as obviously we are still missing critical elements. Again, what you proposed is early thinking about cells and as it turns out again and again, it does not result in viable cell. That is why with enormous financial investment at that time, the only thing folks were able to come up with was to remove DNA and then put a reduced version back into the cell it came from. The graph is basically ignoring all the critical steps. It is a bit like: Build rocket-> develop system for FTL-> explore different star systems. Also, while the authors acknowledge that those very theoretical organisms would need to compete with existing organisms for molecules with the more common chirality, they actually just speculate that they will somehow overcome that. This suggest that you would need to bioengineer all the contingencies into the system, which normal bacteria are able to do from the get go. The authors are skipping a lot of steps, and from my perspective, these steps are the actual challenges.

The Life of a Thought in the Brain – Jon Lieff “With each mental event, dramatic structural changes occur inside large numbers of neurons1, outside of neurons in the extracellular space2, at the synapses between neurons3 and in glial brain cells4. Remarkably, these molecular changes occur instantaneously5 all over the brain in specific circuits using many different mechanisms (some have been described in previous posts). For each different momentary event, the same neuron can be used in completely different circuits6. Signals in the circuits occur simultaneously with other types of electrical communication7 including synchronous oscillations and changes in the extracellular electrical potentials. Also, with each new learning event new cells are minted from stem cells8 and incorporated into the neuronal circuits. This is just part of the life of a thought in the brain.” The excerpt is taken from Jon Lieff’s article here, which should be read in its entirety before attempting to answer the following questions: Can current molecular and brain theories fully explain what is happening in the brain? Can a theory of mind in all of nature9 best explain the phenomenon described in the article? I need to emphasise that both text and article are based on evidence. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ As for the excerpt, here are some of several studies that align with Jon Lief’s observations on how thoughts influence the brain, reinforcing his findings on the remarkable connection between mental activity and brain function. Note that evidence of mind in nature is provided at the end of this post (see below section9). 1-Structural changes occurring inside large number of neurons "Cognitive Training Changes the Structure of the Brain" (2020), Nature Neuroscience: The research finds that focused mental exercises can lead to significant changes in the brain's structure and neurons. "Mental Training Induces Structural Changes in the Amygdala and Prefrontal Cortex" (2021), Biological Psychiatry: This study suggests that mental training causes structural changes in brain areas involved in emotion regulation."Learning-Induced Structural Plasticity in the Adult Brain" (2021), Nature Communications: This research reveals that learning can cause significant structural changes in neurons, particularly in regions involved in memory and cognitive tasks. "Mindfulness Meditation and Structural Brain Changes"(2022), Psychiatry Research: This study finds that regular mindfulness meditation can cause significant structural changes in neurons in various brain regions 2-Structural changes occurring outside of neurons in the extracellular space "Learning-Induced Remodeling of the Extracellular Matrix in the Hippocampus" (2020), Nature Neuroscience: This study shows that learning causes changes in the extracellular matrix (ECM) in the hippocampus, which is crucial for synaptic plasticity and memory formation. "Astrocytes and Synaptic Remodeling in the Adult Brain" (2021), Neuron: This research highlights that glial cells like astrocytes contribute to changes in the extracellular matrix (ECM), which is essential for synaptic remodeling during learning and memory. "Glycosaminoglycans and Extracellular Matrix Remodeling During Learning and Memory" (2021), Journal of Neuroscience: This study reveals that glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) in the ECM are key for synaptic remodeling during learning and memory, supporting synaptic plasticity and cognitive adaptability. 3-Structural changes at the synapses between neurons "Synaptic Plasticity in the Hippocampus and Its Role in Learning and Memory" (2018), Neuron: This study showed that learning and memory-related thoughts lead to changes in synapses in the hippocampus, altering their strength and structure. "Synaptic Changes in Memory Encoding and Retrieval" (2019), Nature Reviews Neuroscience: The review confirmed that memory encoding and retrieval of thoughts cause synaptic changes that affect their function and structure. "Cognitive Training Enhances Synaptic Plasticity in the Adult Brain" (2020), Science: This study demonstrated that focused mental training strengthens synapses, improving cognitive abilities and memory. "Chronic Stress Impairs Synaptic Plasticity in the Prefrontal Cortex" (2021), Journal of Neuroscience: The study showed that emotional stress weakens synaptic connections and impairs cognitive function. "Mindfulness Meditation Induces Structural Synaptic Changes in the Brain" (2022), Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging: This study found that meditation-related thoughts can enhance synaptic structure and function, leading to stronger neural connections. "The Role of Synaptic Plasticity in Emotional Memory and Fear Conditioning" (2021), Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience: This study showed that emotional thoughts, like fear, induce synaptic changes that enhance emotional memory. 4-Structural changes in glial cells "Glial Modulation of Synaptic Plasticity in the Hippocampus" (2020), Nature Neuroscience: Learning and memory processes affect glial cells, which release signals that modulate synaptic plasticity. "Learning-Dependent Changes in Glial Cell Dynamics and Synaptic Function" (2020), Cell Reports: Learning causes changes in glial cell activity that promote synaptic plasticity and strengthen neural circuits. "Chronic Stress Alters Microglial Activity in the Prefrontal Cortex" (2021), Journal of Neuroscience: Chronic stress alters microglial activity, causing neuroinflammation and impairing cognitive function. "Mindfulness Meditation Increases Astrocytic Activity in the Prefrontal Cortex" (2022), Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging: Meditation increases astrocyte activity, enhancing cognitive and emotional regulation. 5-Molecular changes occurring instantaneously "The Real-Time Molecular Responses in the Brain to Cognitive Activity: Signal Transduction and Immediate Gene Expression" (2017), Neuron: This study showed that cognitive tasks trigger instant molecular responses in the brain, including neurotransmitter release, gene activation, and synaptic changes. "Epigenetic Regulation of Immediate Gene Expression and Synaptic Plasticity in Response to Cognitive Activity" (2019), Neuron: This study found that thoughts lead to immediate epigenetic changes that regulate gene expression and contribute to synaptic modifications and neural adaptations. "Molecular Mechanisms of Synaptic Plasticity and Network Modulation by Thought Processes" (2020), Nature Neuroscience: This study demonstrated that mental activity causes immediate molecular changes that alter synaptic plasticity, enabling cognitive processes like memory and decision-making. "Real-Time Brain Network Modulation and Molecular Responses to Cognitive Effort and Mental Activity" (2021), Nature Communications: This research showed that cognitive effort and mental activity cause instant molecular changes that modulate brain network activity and support functions like attention and working memory. 6-For each momentary event, same neurons used in different circuits. "Momentary Reconfiguration of Prefrontal Cortex Circuits during Cognitive Control" (2020), Nature Neuroscience: Neurons in the prefrontal cortex can switch between multiple circuits based on cognitive demands. "Flexible Neuronal Circuit Recruitment during Decision-Making Tasks" (2020), Neuron: Neurons switch between circuits involved in value evaluation and motor output during decision-making, demonstrating flexible circuit recruitment. "Sensory Cortex Neurons Recruited into Different Circuits Based on Contextual Information" (2021), Journal of Neuroscience: Sensory cortex neurons are dynamically recruited into different circuits depending on the task and context. "Amygdala Neurons Flexibly Engage in Different Circuits During Emotional Processing and Regulation" (2022), Journal of Neuroscience: Amygdala neurons shift between circuits for emotional processing and regulation, showing context-dependent brain plasticity. "Hippocampal Neurons Engaged in Different Circuits for Memory Encoding and Spatial Navigation" (2021), Nature Neuroscience: Hippocampal neurons engage in separate circuits for memory encoding and spatial navigation, highlighting flexible neural circuit recruitment. 7-Signals occurring simultaneously with other types of electrical communication "The Role of Cortical Oscillations in Cross-Regional Communication" (2014). This research examines how synchronous oscillations in alpha, beta, and gamma rhythms across different brain regions facilitate cross-regional communication and synchronize brain circuits, coinciding with fluctuations in extracellular potentials during tasks involving attention, decision-making, and complex processing. "Synchronous Neural Firing and Extracellular Field Potentials in Cortical Networks" (2015) This study explores how synchronous neural firing in cortical networks, particularly during sensory processing, is accompanied by fluctuations in extracellular field potentials, reflecting the collective activity of large neuron populations and their alignment with oscillatory brain waves. "Extracellular Potentials and Dynamic Circuit Synchrony in Brain Networks" (2019), Nature Neuroscience: Synchronous neural activity and extracellular potentials work together to enhance communication across brain networks during high-level cognitive functions. "Gamma Oscillations and the Extracellular Electrical Potential: Coordinating Information Processing Across Cortical Circuits" (2020), Journal of Neuroscience: Gamma oscillations in cortical circuits are linked to synchronized neural firing and changes in extracellular electrical potentials, influencing signal propagation. "Synchronous Oscillations and Extracellular Potentials in Sensory Cortices: Implications for Sensory Processing and Integration" (2020), Journal of Neuroscience: Oscillatory activity and extracellular electrical potentials in sensory cortices are linked, aiding dynamic sensory information processing. Synaptic and Extracellular Electrical Changes During Cortical Oscillations: Evidence from LFPs and Multiunit Activity" (2021), Frontiers in Neuroscience: Synchronous neural oscillations and extracellular electrical potentials are closely connected and reflect coordinated communication during complex cognitive tasks. 8-Each new learning event mint new cells which are incorporated into neuronal circuits "Learning-Dependent Neurogenesis in the Adult Mammalian Brain" (2000), Proceedings of the National Academy of Science: This study reveals that learning, especially spatial tasks, triggers neurogenesis in the hippocampus, where new neurons help form memory circuits. "Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis Is Required for Long-Term Memory Formation" (2012), Science: This study shows that learning generates new neurons in the hippocampus, which are integrated into existing circuits to support memory formation. "Cognitive and Physical Exercise Increases Hippocampal Neurogenesis and Learning" (2013), Science: This study demonstrates that both mental and physical exercise stimulate neurogenesis in the hippocampus, enhancing learning and memory. "Learning-Induced Neurogenesis in the Olfactory Bulb and Its Contribution to Olfactory Memory" (2014), Neuron: This study finds that sensory learning, like odor learning, stimulates neurogenesis in the olfactory bulb, with new neurons aiding in memory formation. "Learning-Dependent Changes in Adult Neurogenesis and Integration into Existing Circuits" (2016), Neuron: This research shows that learning events generate new neurons that integrate into hippocampal circuits, playing a role in memory and learning flexibility. "Learning-Induced Adult Neurogenesis and Its Role in Memory Encoding and Learning Flexibility" (2018), Nature Neuroscience: This study shows that learning promotes neurogenesis in the hippocampus, which supports memory encoding and cognitive flexibility. 9-Mind in nature "The Foundations of Plant Intelligence" (2014) Trends in Plant Science. The author argues that intelligent behavior is not limited to neural systems, noting the similarities between the network of molecular interactions and the network of neuron connections, suggesting that intelligence can exist in systems without neural structures. "Cellular Intelligence: Microphenomenology and the Realities of Being" (2016) Springer. The author argues that cognition, response, and decision-making are intrinsic to living cells. He highlights examples, such as shell-building amoebae and the red algae Antithamion, that exhibit cellular intelligence not easily captured by conventional models or computational analysis. "How Brainless Slime Molds Redefine Intelligence" (2016) Scientific American. The author discusses the surprising abilities of the yellow slime mold Physarum polycephalum. This organism can solve mazes, replicate transportation networks, and select the healthiest food sources—all without a brain or nervous system. “Cellular Memory Hints at the Origin of Intelligence” (2017) Nature News. The study discusses how slime moulds exhibit remarkable rhythmic recall. "Collective Intelligence: A Unifying Concept for Integrating Biology Across Scales and Substates" (2017), Frontiers in Systems Biology. The study highlights examples of cellular decision-making, which exhibit cooperation toward specific homeo-dynamic outcomes. The authors argue that collective intelligence is not limited to animal groups, but also manifests at the cellular and organismal levels, drawing a parallel between the behavioral dynamics of animal swarms and the intelligence of biological systems at varying scales. "Molecular Basis of Plant Intelligence: Genetic and Epigenetic Regulation of Cognition." (2021) Plant Physiology. This paper examines how genetic and epigenetic factors enable plants to exhibit behaviors like learning, memory, and adaptive responses to stimuli, providing molecular evidence for plant intelligence and challenging traditional views of cognition. "Cognitive Evolution in Invertebrates: A New Era of Discovery. (2022)" Trends in Cognitive Sciences. This study explores the surprising cognitive complexity of invertebrates like octopuses, bees, and ants, arguing that intelligence is not limited to vertebrates and challenging traditional views of animal cognition. "The Evolution of Cognitive Flexibility in Animals." (2022) Trends in Ecology & Evolution. This paper investigates cognitive flexibility across species, highlighting how animals like birds, primates, and mammals exhibit problem-solving, learning, and innovation to adapt to new environmental challenges, reflecting an evolved form of intelligence for survival. "Cognitive and Behavioral Plasticity in Spiders: Exploring the Evolution of Intelligence." (2022) Animal Cognition. This study highlights how spiders demonstrate cognitive and behavioral flexibility, using sensory cues, spatial memory, and learning to adjust their hunting and foraging behaviors, showcasing intelligence adapted to their ecological niche. "Ecosystem Intelligence: Understanding Complex Adaptive Systems." (2022) Ecology and Evolution. This paper explores "ecosystem intelligence," arguing that ecosystems, as complex adaptive systems, demonstrate forms of intelligence through their ability to respond to environmental changes, balance ecological interactions, and maintain stability via feedback loops "Swarm Intelligence and Collective Behavior in Nature." (2022) Nature Communications. This paper investigates swarm intelligence in social insects like ants and bees, showing how decentralized decision-making and collective behavior enable swarms to solve complex tasks such as foraging, nest building, and navigation. Multimodal perception links cellular state to decision-making in single cells (2022), Science. This study reveals that human cells process diverse signaling information in an adaptive manner, allowing them to make context-dependent decisions based on their internal state and surroundings, with signaling network heterogeneity contributing to this complex decision-making ability. "The Cognitive Ecology of Plants: A Review of Plant Intelligence (2023)." Plant Science. This paper reviews emerging evidence that plants exhibit intelligence through adaptive behaviors and communication, extending the concept of intelligence beyond animals to plant life. "Neural and Behavioral Complexity in Molluscs: Insights into Non-Human Animal Intelligence." (2023) Biological Reviews. This review examines the neural and behavioral complexity of molluscs, particularly octopuses and cuttlefish, emphasizing their intelligence, including learning, memory, and problem-solving, and advocating for broader definitions of intelligence in non-mammalian species. A heritable iron memory enables decision-making in Escherichia coli (2023) PNAS. This study reveals that Escherichia coli can "remember" prior swarming experiences through cellular iron levels, which influence future swarming efficiency, biofilm formation, and antibiotic tolerance across generations. "Network Motifs: Theory and Experimental Approaches". The author discusses how signaling networks within cells operate like decision-making systems, a key feature of cellular intelligence. A summary on microbial intelligence from Wikipedia reveals behaviors among bacterial colonies. Bacterial biofilms- which form through the collective behavior of millions of cells- demonstrate synchronized growth, nutrient maximization and survival strategies under stress. Bacteria recognize themselves under antibiotic stress, swap genes and even communicate through quorum sensing to coordinate actions such as biofilm formation and disease progression. Under certain conditions, bacteria can display forms of memory and decision-making. For example, bacterial biofilms exhibit a membrane potential based working memory that persists hours after stimuli. · https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3s0LTDhqe5A · https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZM9GpLXepU · https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6ChEmjsXCM

Pairs of non-commuting operators... Like position and momentum Like pressure and volume Like space and time?