Do we as a society, make the brain out to be more complex than it already is?

Question

Basically, we may think that the brain is more complex but on a larger scale it is not as hard as it seems. Basically saying "I give up I can't figure this puzzle or math problem out." When in reality we just are too lazy to waste our time on it.

Answer 1

i guess your right

Answer 2

I'd have to say no, for the following reasons:

1. Saying that the brain is complex is not a cop out - it is the opposite. When scientists note the complexity of the brain it is not because they want to stop studying it but rather to justify continued studying (and financial support for studying) the brain.

2. The brain has a LOT of neurons. Recent work has also highlighted the role of other cells in the brain (specifically glia) as being relevant in neural computation. This discovery adds an order of magnitude to the potential number of "computing" cells in the brain.

3. Attempts to replicate brain functions, ie. artificial intelligence, have typically been less successful than expected. We have not yet created a computer that can distinguish between the image of a cat and a dog (something that a 3 year old can do).

4. The brain is complex in the mathematical sense. Here the word complex describes a system where cells are constantly interacting. This isn't equivalent to complexity in the English sense, but essentially means that the output of a neural system can be unpredictable. This unpredictability does indeed yield some (English sense of the word) complexity.

5. Behavior is complex, and the brain has a large role in regulating behavior. Neuroscientists are still coming up with data explaining how the brain of a fly works - a brain with many fewer cells than ours.

6. I actually didn't give up, I went on to study the brain. I wasn't the only one, neuroscience is one of the fastest growing fields of research throughout the world. All these people obviously didn't "give up" and many advances have come out of this field (including neural prostheses and pharmaceuticals to name a few).