Niche construction as external memory

What if neurons aren’t the foundation of mind? In this Mind-Body Solution Colloquia, Michael Levin and Robert Chis-Ciure challenge one of neuroscience’s deepest assumptions: that cognition and intelligence are exclusive to brains and neurons.Drawing on cutting-edge work in bioelectricity, developmental biology, and philosophy of mind, this conversation explores how cells, tissues, and living systems exhibit goal-directed behavior, memory, and problem-solving — long before neurons ever appear.We explore: • Cognition without neurons• Bioelectric networks as control systems• Memory and learning beyond synapses• Morphogenesis as collective intelligence• Implications for AI, consciousness, and ethicsThis episode pushes neuroscience beyond the neuron, toward a deeper understanding of mind, life, and intelligence as continuous across scales.TIMESTAMPS:0:00 – Introduction: Why Neuroscience Must Go Beyond Neurons3:12 – The Central Claim: Cognition Is Not Exclusive to Brains7:05 – Defining Cognition, Intelligence, and Agency Without Neurons11:02 – Bioelectricity as a Control Layer for Morphogenesis15:08 – Cells as Problem-Solvers: Goals, Memory, and Error Correction19:41 – The Body as a Cognitive System: Scaling Intelligence Across Levels24:10 – Developmental Plasticity and Non-Neural Decision-Making28:36 – Morphological Computation and Collective Cellular Intelligence33:02 – Challenging Neuron-Centric Neuroscience Assumptions37:18 – Bioelectric Networks vs Neural Networks: Key Differences41:55 – Memory Without Synapses: Storing Information in Living Tissue46:07 – Rewriting Anatomy: Regeneration, Repatterning, and Control50:29 – Cancer, Developmental Errors, and Cognitive Breakdown54:48 – Pluribus: Philosophical Implications59:14 – From Cells to Selves: Where Does Agency Begin?1:03:22 – Implications for AI: Intelligence Without Brains or Neurons1:08:11 – Rethinking Consciousness: Gradualism vs Binary Models1:12:47 – Ethics of Expanding the Moral Circle Beyond Humans1:17:31 – Future Science: New Tools for a Post-Neuron Neuroscience1:22:54 – Closing Reflections: Life, Mind, and Intelligence All the Way DownEPISODE LINKS:- Cognition All the Way Down 2.0: Neuroscience Beyond Neurons in the Diverse Intelligence Era: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11229-025-05319-6- Robert's Publications: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=7V9C7skAAAAJ&hl=en- Mike's Podcast 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6gp-ORTBlU- Mike's Podcast 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMxTS7eKkNM- Mike's Podcast 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1R-tdscgxu4- Mike's Podcast 4 (with Terrence Deacon): https://youtu.be/HuWbHwPZd60?si=z2unvX37OjXMjjIv- Mike's Lecture: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQEX-twenkA- Mike's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@drmichaellevin- Mike's Website: https://drmichaellevin.org/- Mike's Blog: https://thoughtforms.lifeCONNECT:- Website: https://mindbodysolution.org - YouTube: https://youtube.com/@mindbodysolution- Podcast: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/mindbodysolution- Twitter: https://twitter.com/drtevinnaidu- Facebook: https://facebook.com/drtevinnaidu - Instagram: https://instagram.com/drtevinnaidu- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/drtevinnaidu- Website: https://tevinnaidu.com=============================Disclaimer: The information provided on this channel is for educational purposes only. The content is shared in the spirit of open discourse and does not constitute, nor does it substitute, professional or medical advice. We do not accept any liability for any loss or damage incurred from you acting or not acting as a result of listening/watching any of our contents. You acknowledge that you use the information provided at your own risk. Listeners/viewers are advised to conduct their own research and consult with their own experts in the respective fields.