tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516188730140164076.post7360611575745059521..comments2024-03-22T06:06:19.716-04:00Comments on Devlin's Angle: How Mountain Biking Can Provide the Key to the Eureka MomentMathematical Association of Americahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10559021045290192742noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516188730140164076.post-85404680036121388812014-03-04T13:24:26.837-05:002014-03-04T13:24:26.837-05:00pp, You have misread my post. I did not say the am...pp, You have misread my post. I did not say the amygdala will carry out mathematical processes. Rather my argument is that the neo-cortex does the mathematical processing, and then leaves the amydgala to "do its stuff". In this case, that would amount to making the key connections between the various mathematical processes that have been not just worked out, but rehearsed. While this has to be just speculation, what I propose is certainly feasible, and consistent with everything we have observed. And, as I tried to argue, no different from carrying out complex physical tasks, such as mountain biking up a steep, technical trail.Keith Devlinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17423495316890452375noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516188730140164076.post-86964990694971940752014-03-04T13:24:09.271-05:002014-03-04T13:24:09.271-05:00pp, You have misread my post. I did not say the am...pp, You have misread my post. I did not say the amygdala will carry out mathematical processes. Rather my argument is that the neo-cortex does the mathematical processing, and then leaves the amydgala to "do its stuff". In this case, that would amount to making the key connections between the various mathematical processes that have been not just worked out, but rehearsed. While this has to be just speculation, what I propose is certainly feasible, and consistent with everything we have observed. And, as I tried to argue, no different from carrying out complex physical tasks, such as mountain biking up a steep, technical trail.Keith Devlinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17423495316890452375noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516188730140164076.post-48518722830145333022014-03-03T07:54:10.811-05:002014-03-03T07:54:10.811-05:00Have you read Bounce by Matthew Syed? He deals bea...Have you read Bounce by Matthew Syed? He deals beautifully with the sports learning you describe. It seems to me you are asking a lot of the amygdala to expect it to carry out mathematical processes. Is this not more likely a left / right brain division where the processes are still parallel but of a higher order whilst still providing a eureka moment, as there is no evolutionary need to solve a mathematical problem at speed. I have heard of scientists at RAF Westcott cycling up and down the runway whilst thinking, seeking the eureka moment. -Just a thought.pphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07173389276293429052noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516188730140164076.post-37955075879034388022014-03-01T07:28:29.041-05:002014-03-01T07:28:29.041-05:00I haven't re-read Arthur Koestler for a long w...I haven't re-read Arthur Koestler for a long while, but this all reminds me of his notion of sudden "bisociation" of two otherwise unrelated cognitions as the key to creativity and discovery in science, humor, and the arts."Shecky Riemann"https://www.blogger.com/profile/07065658607024191185noreply@blogger.com