Hawkins On Human Intelligence

Hawkins is convinced that contemporary computerized machines can't have the intelligence of a brain because of fundamental differences in the organization and function of brains and computers. He believes however that a better understanding of intelligence can lead to the development of truly intelligent machines (perhaps within ten years), and that these machines may differ considerably from current information processing technologies.

Hawkins believes that the hierarchical organization and conscious operation of our brain's cerebral cortex provides the key to understanding intelligence and how it might be incorporated into machines. The cerebral cortex is our brain's deeply folded outside surface. It comprises 77% of our brain and it's composed of six distinct layers. When unfolded, the cortex is about the area and thickness of a stack of six sheets of 12X18 inch construction paper.

The cortex is organized horizontally and vertically. Each horizontal layer processes important general functions, such as to receive incoming information (layer 4). The perhaps 30 billion cortical neurons are also organized vertically into several hundred million hair-thin columns of about 100 connected neurons that extend through the six layers and interconnect with other cortical columns and brain areas. Each column (and aggregate of related columns) has a distinct function, such as to respond to a specific tone or line segment, or to move a specific muscle—but the columns are highly interconnected.