Can human nervous syst be likened to all-purpose computer where many possible programs can be loaded&followed?

Question

The nervous system is a network of specialized nerve cells that conduct impulses from or to areas of the body to the brain and spinal cord and within the brain. It is composed of neurons and other specialized cells, like glial cells and neuroglia, that aid in the function of the neurons. Nerve cells are interconnected in complex arrangements and use electrochemical signals to transmit impulses between cells, they respond to a great variety of stimuli and form neural circuits that regulate an organisms perception and behavior. Nervous systems are found in many multicellular animals but differ greatly in complexity between species.[1]

ref: exerpt from ----> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nervous_system

Answer 1

The brain is the greatest computer - i would agree.  I too see it as a big circuit system that can be programmed, reprogrammed or deprogrammed.

read timothy leary - he talks about a lot more than psychedelics  

Answer 2

All of human culture is some form of brainwashing, if that cross-over from your programming analogy is allowed. This creates a parsec-wide margin for racketeering, to exploit the trusting and unwary. Also it allows for rapid learning of a better way. We must all keep an eye for new and better things, caution for ripoffs, and a tenacious hold on the goodness we already have.  Regards, Larry.

Answer 3

Fabulous question. The answer is yes. There is factual data that supports that brains can change through application of new ideas and facts. Brain connectivity can redirect itself when fed new information. If only the world knew they were capable of REAL change! Great question!

Answer 4

I'm not sure if I would use the word nervous but your on the right tract.

P.468 - §1 Subsequent to even still greater progress and further discoveries, after Urantia(Earth) has advanced immeasurably in comparison with present knowledge, though you should gain control of the energy revolutions of the electrical units of matter to the extent of modifying their physical manifestations--even after all such possible progress, forever will scientists be powerless to create one atom of matter or to originate one flash of energy or ever to add to matter that which we call life.

P.399 - §7 In the bestowal of life the Life Carriers transmit nothing of their personal natures, not even on those spheres where new orders of life are projected. At such times they simply initiate and transmit the spark of life, start the required revolutions of matter in accordance with the physical, chemical, and electrical specifications of the ordained plans and patterns. Life Carriers are living catalytic presences which agitate, organize, and vitalize the otherwise inert elements of the material order of existence. http://www.urantia.org/papers/paper36.ht...

Answer 5

In some significant ways the human brain is superior to computerized sorting programming.

To scan a photo and determine if there is a kitten therein, requires .5 sec for the human, while computers require many seconds.

The difference between the two processes:  the human in .5 sec has a functional range of ~100 neurons firing up any given system of stored memories.  The neocortex stores sequences of patterns in an invariant form, recalling them auto-associatively.

This permits the quicker discernment.

Memories are stored in the synaptic connections; intelligence or in-telling permits memory-based predictions e.g. of the flight of a baseball from the bat, for an outfielder.  This intelling occurs at coordinated levels of sensibility and motor volition, based on desire and prediction-computation.

Computers work in a different manner, and their archetectonics are different.