Circuits of the Mind

In this groundbreaking work, computer scientists Leslie G. Valiant details a promising new computational approach to studying the intricate workings of the brain. Focusing on the brain's enigmatic ability to quickly access a massive store of accumulated information during reasoning processes, the author asks how such feats are possible given the extreme constraints imposed by the brain's finite number of neurons, their limited speed of communication, and their restricted interconnectivity. Valiant proposes a "neuroidal model" that serves as a vehicle to explore these fascinating questions. This model provides a concrete computational language and a unified framework in which diverse cognitve phenomena such as memory, learning, and reasoning, can be systematically analysed. Requiring no specialist knowledge this book offers students and researchers in computer science and the cognitive sciences an exciting new approach to brain science.