[Comp-neuro] Kolmogorov complexity

[Oliver Obst]

On 20/08/2008, at 3:36 AM, Carson Chow wrote:

> I just wanted to point out that Kolmogorov complexity (KC) is  
> defined as
> the minimal length of a program that can generate a string and halt  
> on a
> Turing machine.  In this context, it would correspond to the minimal
> string length that could describe the brain, where the brain is coded
> into a bit string.  So if the brain were Kolmogorov complexity  
> complete
> (KCC) then the only description of the brain is the brain itself.  The

so does this mean all brains of a species are in the same class of  
complexity; and are genomes (as a description of systems that include  
brains) in the same class?

In this discussion 'description of the brain' and 'understanding the  
brain' seems to refer to the same idea. 'Description' (in the sense of  
turing machines) however, is a syntactical feature, and doesn't entail  
'understanding' (whatever that means).

Oliver

-- 
Oliver Obst                     form follows function (Louis Sullivan).
Fon: +61 2 9325 3278                             http://oliver.obst.eu/
Autonomous Systems Lab  CSIRO ICT Centre   http://www.ict.csiro.au/asl/