How we believe things!!How Your Brain Understands the World and Why It Sometimes Gets It Wrong-Jeff Hawkins

How do we understand the world? The brain receives a constant stream of input from our sensors and from this creates a model of the world. What we perceive, our thoughts and experiences, are based on the brain’s model. Unfortunately, the model of the world in our head can be fooled, causing us to believe things that are not true. I lead a team of scientists who study how the brain does this. In this talk, I will give an overview of what we have learned, explain the neuroscience behind false beliefs, and suggest what we might do about it.

Jeff Hawkins is a well-known scientist and entrepreneur, considered one of the most successful and highly regarded computer architects in Silicon Valley. He is widely known for founding Palm Computing and Handspring Inc. and for being the architect of many successful handheld computers. He is often credited with starting the entire handheld computing industry.

Despite his successes as a technology entrepreneur, Hawkins’ primary passion and occupation has been neuroscience. From 2002 to 2005, Hawkins directed the Redwood Neuroscience Institute, now located at U.C. Berkeley. He is currently co-founder and chief scientist at Numenta, a research company focused on neocortical theory.

This talk took place on April 15, 2021 and was part of Skeptical Inquirer Presents. Learn more at skepticalinquirer.org/presents/