Freakonomics Radio Your Brain Doesn’t Work the Way You Think
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Dec 23, 2024 
David Eagleman, a Stanford neuroscientist and author, revisits our understanding of the brain's incredible adaptability. He reveals how neuroplasticity allows for astonishing skills like echolocation in blind individuals. The discussion covers sensory substitution technologies that transform sensory experiences and how cognitive biases shape our decision-making. Eagleman also explores the limitations of AI cognition compared to human thought processes, emphasizing the philosophical significance of these differences. Plus, he introduces 'possibilianism' for exploring varied interpretations of existence.
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Live-Wired Brain
- The human brain, locked in silence and darkness, constantly builds a model of the outside world.
- This model updates continuously based on surprising and unpredictable inputs, showcasing the brain's live-wired nature.
Half a Brain
- Children born without half their brain or who undergo a hemispherectomy can still develop normally.
- This demonstrates the brain's remarkable plasticity and adaptability.
Echolocation
- Blind people use echolocation, interpreting echoes to understand their surroundings.
- The visual cortex gets taken over by auditory and tactile information processing in blind individuals.
