Boundaries of Brain Information Processing

Guest Editors:

Jose Luis Perez Velazquez (University of Toronto)

Jack Tuszynski (University of Alberta)

Luis Garcia Dominguez (University of Toronto)

It is a fundamental goal of neuroscience to understand the limitations of information processing in nervous systems and particularly in the mammalian brain, not only to better comprehend cognitive functions and the perception of reality, but also to characterise pathological mental/brain states. Equally important is the understanding of self-consciousness, that is, that the brain is not only aware of its surroundings but also of its own functioning. This scheme contains the implicit assumption that brain states like the "self" can be comprehended by the brain itself. The constraints imposed by autonomous neural/mental activity and internal brain architecture have to be acknowledged as much as those imposed by the environment. In addition to the limits imposed by the intricacy of the brain’s cellular circuitry, other logical limitations may also play a role, specifically the highly debatable issue of whether the fundamental limitative theorems in mathematical logic can also apply or are relevant to the mind as a formal system.

The Journal of Biological Physics is prepairing a special issue dedicated to the boundaries of brain information processing that will include works that deal with different aspects of brain and machine information processing, and from distinct perspectives: mathematical, physical and philosophical, as the examination of these queries requires a multidisciplinary approach. We hope that these contributions will stimulate readers to further explore the complexities of the mental world that brains create.


Jeff Buechner, Rutgers University

Christopher Cherniak, University of Maryland

Stuart Hameroff, University of Arizona

John Taylor, King's College, London

Jack Tuszynski , University of Alberta

David Wolpert, NASA Ames Research Center

Read the Issue online