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Mahvish Qureshi's picture

Input/output

After reading over the above posts, I understand and agree with the concept that using the terms input/output make the brain seem like a machine or a computer. Despite the ability of these terms to take away the human-quality of the brain, I feel that they are a better description of the brain's function.

The use of the word response seems to convey a non-passive action. Such as when the doctors test for reflex's and the response is the kicking out of the leg. When a student zones-out or day dreams in class that is not considered a response but more so a lack of a response. However the input of the environment or the lecture is still present but hte response is not an active one, which is why I feel the word output better suits the behavior.

The word stimulus also seems to convey the idea of a direct action, such as poking someone. Input seems to better describe not just actions, but also an environment. Such as the colors and the sounds of the surrondings are inputs rather than stimulus's.

Because of the previous connotations presented by words such as stimulus and response, it seems to me that the terms input/output are better used to describe the way the brain acts and links to the behavioral result of inputs.

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