Re: TI-H: mind vs. computer
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Re: TI-H: mind vs. computer
>Okay here's a question to ponder... If you were to convert the storage
>space of the human mind to GB how much do you believe it would be?
Vast, no doubt. I am sure that it varies by individual. People
with 'photographic' memory no doubt store huge amounts of info.
Some can pick up a book, scan the pages (without reading), then
later recall each page and read it from the memory image. It is
intresting to note that people with this 'total recall' ability
are usually notably lacking in spatial abilities, and vice versa.
Apparently the same area of the brain is used for these abilites,
and cannot handle both at extreme levels. Most of us fall somewhere
inbetween.
In the case of scanning a page of text, which can be recalled
and read at a later time, the individual has in some way stored
at least 50k of information, perhaps as much as 300k. I'd be
suprised if it was not stored in such a way that the repetive
information was not compressed in some fasion. Perhaps studies
of the way the brain stores information will improve our video
and image compression routines.
I'd put the total storage of the average brain easily above a
terabyte. However the reliability of the storage is quite different.
Image information stored near, say, the entire encyclopdia Britanica
would probably be difficult to recall as easily as before the
encyclopida was there (unless it was a frequently used image,
in which case portions of the encyclopida would likely be fuzzy).
DK
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