Towards Topological Mechanisms Underlying Experience Acquisition and Transmission in the Human Brain

Integr Psychol Behav Sci. 2017 Jun;51(2):303-323. doi: 10.1007/s12124-017-9380-z.

Abstract

Experience is a process of awareness and mastery of facts or events, gained through actual observation or second-hand knowledge. Recent findings reinforce the idea that a naturalized epistemological approach is needed to further advance our understanding of the nervous mechanisms underlying experience. This essay is an effort to build a coherent topological-based framework able to elucidate particular aspects of experience, e.g., how it is acquired by a single individual, transmitted to others and collectively stored in form of general ideas. Taking into account concepts from neuroscience, algebraic topology and Richard Avenarius' philosophical analytical approach, we provide a scheme which is cast in an empirically testable fashion. In particular, we emphasize the foremost role of variants of the Borsuk-Ulam theorem, which tells us that, when a pair of opposite (antipodal) points on a sphere are mapped onto a single point in Euclidean space, the projection provides a description of both antipodal points. These antipodes stand for nervous functions and activities of the brain correlated with the mechanisms of acquisition and transmission of experience.

Keywords: Borsuk-ulam theorem; Brain; Mind; Sensation.

MeSH terms

  • Brain / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Learning / physiology*
  • Models, Psychological
  • Psychological Theory*
  • Thinking / physiology