Randy Gallistel's guest appearances

Randy Gallistel

Brain Inspired

Epistimones

Meaning Lab

OwlTail

Support the show to get full episodes and join the Discord community.  Randy and I discuss his long-standing interest in how the brain stores information to compute. That is, where is the engram, the physical trace of memory in the brain? Modern neuroscience is dominated by the view that memories are stored among synaptic connections in populations of neurons. Randy believes a more reasonable and reliable way to store abstract symbols, like numbers, is to write them into code within individual neurons. Thus, the spiking code, whatever it is, functions to write and read memories into and out of intracellular substrates, like polynucleotides (DNA, RNA, e.g.). He lays out his case in detail in his book with Adam King, Memory and the Computational Brain: Why Cognitive Science will Transform Neuroscience. We also talk about some research and theoretical work since then that support his views. Randy's Rutger's website.Book:Memory and the Computational Brain: Why Cognitive Science will Transform Neuroscience.Related papers:The theoretical RNA paper Randy mentions: An RNA-based theory of natural universal computation.Evidence for intracellular engram in cerebellum: Memory trace and timing mechanism localized to cerebellar Purkinje cells.The exchange between Randy and John Lisman.The blog post Randy mentions about Universal function approximation:The Truth About the [Not So] Universal Approximation Theorem 0:00 - Intro6:50 - Cognitive science vs. computational neuroscience13:23 - Brain as computing device15:45 - Noam Chomsky's influence17:58 - Memory must be stored within cells30:58 - Theoretical support for the idea34:15 - Cerebellum evidence supporting the idea40:56 - What is the write mechanism?51:11 - Thoughts on deep learning1:00:02 - Multiple memory mechanisms?1:10:56 - The role of plasticity1:12:06 - Trying to convince molecular biologists

<a href="https://www.patreon.com/braininspired" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Support the show</a> to get full episodes and join the Discord community. <a href="https://www.patreon.com/braininspired" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a> Randy and I discuss his long-standing interest in how the brain stores information to compute. That is, where is the engram, the physical trace of memory in the brain? Modern neuroscience is dominated by the view that memories are stored among synaptic connections in populations of neurons. Randy believes a more reasonable and reliable way to store abstract symbols, like numbers, is to write them into code within individual neurons. Thus, the spiking code, whatever it is, functions to write and read memories into and out of intracellular substrates, like polynucleotides (DNA, RNA, e.g.). He lays out his case in detail in his book with Adam King, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1405122889/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=pmiddlebroo09-20&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=1405122889&amp;linkId=1362bd57c9102eee598fc51ed3aa6126" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Memory and the Computational Brain: Why Cognitive Science will Transform Neuroscience.</a> We also talk about some research and theoretical work since then that support his views. <ul><li>Randy's <a href="https://psych.rutgers.edu/faculty-profiles-a-contacts/96-charles-randy-gallistel" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Rutger's website</a>.</li><li>Book:<ul><li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1405122889/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=pmiddlebroo09-20&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=1405122889&amp;linkId=1362bd57c9102eee598fc51ed3aa6126" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Memory and the Computational Brain: Why Cognitive Science will Transform Neuroscience.</a></li></ul></li><li>Related papers:<ul><li>The theoretical RNA paper Randy mentions: <a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/2008.08814v3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">An RNA-based theory of natural universal computation</a>.</li><li>Evidence for intracellular engram in cerebellum: <a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/111/41/14930" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Memory trace and timing mechanism localized to cerebellar Purkinje cells</a>.</li></ul></li><li><a href="https://youtu.be/JCDaURmKPm4?t=4211" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The exchange between Randy and John Lisman</a>.</li><li>The blog post Randy mentions about Universal function approximation:<ul><li><a href="https://www.lifeiscomputation.com/the-truth-about-the-not-so-universal-approximation-theorem/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Truth About the [Not So] Universal Approximation Theorem</a></li></ul></li></ul> 0:00 - Intro 6:50 - Cognitive science vs. computational neuroscience 13:23 - Brain as computing device 15:45 - Noam Chomsky's influence 17:58 - Memory must be stored within cells 30:58 - Theoretical support for the idea 34:15 - Cerebellum evidence supporting the idea 40:56 - What is the write mechanism? 51:11 - Thoughts on deep learning 1:00:02 - Multiple memory mechanisms? 1:10:56 - The role of plasticity 1:12:06 - Trying to convince molecular biologists

BI 126 Randy Gallistel: Where Is the Engram?

This is Cognitive Revolution, my show about the personal side of the intellectual journey. Each week, I interview an eminent scientist, writer, or academic about the experiences that shaped their ideas. The show is available wherever you listen to podcasts.This is the second part of my conversation with Randy Gallistel. In the first part, we talk about his ideas around why the neuroscience of memory is completely inadequate to the task of understanding… memory. In this episode, we get into the backstory on those ideas, as well as Randy’s major influences. We talk about the influence of foundational experiments by Tony Deutsch, why neuroscientists “squirm” when you bring up the problem of representation, which of Randy’s research projects didn't work out the way he thought, how his academic mentor introduced him to his future wife, and what a good theory should not look like.Randy’s Three Books:* The Eighth Day of Creation, Horace Freeland Judson * The Logic of Life, Francois Jacob* Spikes: Exploring the Neural Code, Rieka et al* Honorary mention: Endless Forms Most Beautiful, Sean B CarrollBooks we talked about: * Randy’s Memory and the Computational Brain* The Structural Basis of Behavior, J. Anthony DeutschPapers we talked about: * Randy’s recent paper on the Physical Basis of MemoryLike this episode? Here’s another one to check out:I’d love to know what you thought of this episode! Just reply to this email or send a note directly to my inbox. Feel free to tweet me @CodyKommers. You can also leave a rating for the show on iTunes (or another platform). This is super helpful, as high ratings are one of the biggest factors platforms look at in their recommender system algorithms. The better the ratings, the more they present the show to new potential listeners.Also: If you’d like to unsubscribe from these weekly podcast emails, you can do so while still remaining on the email list that features my weekly writing. Thanks for following my work! This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit codykommers.substack.com/subscribe

This is Cognitive Revolution, my show about the personal side of the intellectual journey. Each week, I interview an eminent scientist, writer, or academic about the experiences that shaped their ideas. The show is available wherever you listen to podcasts.This is the second part of my conversation with Randy Gallistel. In the first part, we talk about his ideas around why the neuroscience of memory is completely inadequate to the task of understanding… memory. In this episode, we get into the backstory on those ideas, as well as Randy’s major influences. We talk about the influence of foundational experiments by Tony Deutsch, why neuroscientists “squirm” when you bring up the problem of representation, which of Randy’s research projects didn't work out the way he thought, how his academic mentor introduced him to his future wife, and what a good theory should not look like.Randy’s Three Books:* <a href="https://amzn.to/3FW3njr" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Eighth Day of Creation</a>, Horace Freeland Judson * <a href="https://amzn.to/3fVVwrF" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Logic of Life</a>, Francois Jacob* <a href="https://amzn.to/3u2njPl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Spikes: Exploring the Neural Code</a>, Rieka et al* Honorary mention: <a href="https://amzn.to/3tYVuaO" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Endless Forms Most Beautiful</a>, Sean B CarrollBooks we talked about: * Randy’s <a href="https://amzn.to/3fXgFBG" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Memory and the Computational Brain</a>* <a href="https://amzn.to/3AtoQ26" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Structural Basis of Behavior</a>, J. Anthony DeutschPapers we talked about: * Randy’s recent paper on the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0010027720303528?casa_token=Q0XXzJBku5gAAAAA:Pij9NzDK-nSH5vQuN1eEwU2FJqAv_g7j-2PWyRBBP7Lb83blFSd6JErOShn8vDbpsUAIgr20vg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Physical Basis of Memory</a>Like this episode? Here’s another one to check out:I’d love to know what you thought of this episode! Just reply to this email or send a note directly to my inbox. Feel free to tweet me @CodyKommers. You can also leave a rating for the show on iTunes (or another platform). This is super helpful, as high ratings are one of the biggest factors platforms look at in their recommender system algorithms. The better the ratings, the more they present the show to new potential listeners.Also: If you’d like to unsubscribe from these weekly podcast emails, you can do so while still remaining on the email list that features my weekly writing. Thanks for following my work! This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://codykommers.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=CTA_2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">codykommers.substack.com/subscribe</a>

#79.5: Randy Gallistel on Upsetting Neuroscientists (The Story)

This is Cognitive Revolution, my show about the personal side of the intellectual journey. Each week, I interview an eminent scientist, writer, or academic about the experiences that shaped their ideas. The show is available wherever you listen to podcasts.Randy Gallistel has made a career (at least partly) out of making the neuroscientific community angry. He’s made broad, sweeping claims that cut to the core of the neuroscience of learning and memory. The problem with his claims is not that they’re broad and sweeping. The problem is that they might be right. In particular, he’s taking aim at neuroscience for not grappling with the symbolic nature of cognition. The neuroscience of memory, he argues, doesn’t even acknowledge the basis existence of “facts.” That is, there’s no neural theory of what a fact is, or how the brain might store it. In this episode, we talk about Randy’s claims in this space of topics. This was the second half of a much longer conversation. In a follow-up episode, I’ll publish the first half—which goes into the backstory of how Randy developed these ideas and the major figures who influenced him. Randy’s Three Books:* The Eighth Day of Creation, Horace Freeland Judson * The Logic of Life, Francois Jacob* Spikes: Exploring the Neural Code, Rieka et al* Honorary mention: Endless Forms Most Beautiful, Sean B CarrollBooks we talked about: * Randy’s Memory and the Computational Brain* The Structural Basis of Behavior, J. Anthony DeutschPapers we talked about: * Randy’s recent paper on the Physical Basis of MemoryLike this episode? Here’s another one to check out:I’d love to know what you thought of this episode! Just reply to this email or send a note directly to my inbox. Feel free to tweet me @CodyKommers. You can also leave a rating for the show on iTunes (or another platform). This is super helpful, as high ratings are one of the biggest factors platforms look at in their recommender system algorithms. The better the ratings, the more they present the show to new potential listeners.Also: If you’d like to unsubscribe from these weekly podcast emails, you can do so while still remaining on the email list that features my weekly writing. Thanks for following my work! This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit codykommers.substack.com/subscribe

This is Cognitive Revolution, my show about the personal side of the intellectual journey. Each week, I interview an eminent scientist, writer, or academic about the experiences that shaped their ideas. The show is available wherever you listen to podcasts.Randy Gallistel has made a career (at least partly) out of making the neuroscientific community angry. He’s made broad, sweeping claims that cut to the core of the neuroscience of learning and memory. The problem with his claims is not that they’re broad and sweeping. The problem is that they might be right. In particular, he’s taking aim at neuroscience for not grappling with the symbolic nature of cognition. The neuroscience of memory, he argues, doesn’t even acknowledge the basis existence of “facts.” That is, there’s no neural theory of what a fact is, or how the brain might store it. In this episode, we talk about Randy’s claims in this space of topics. This was the second half of a much longer conversation. In a follow-up episode, I’ll publish the first half—which goes into the backstory of how Randy developed these ideas and the major figures who influenced him. Randy’s Three Books:* <a href="https://amzn.to/3FW3njr" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Eighth Day of Creation</a>, Horace Freeland Judson * <a href="https://amzn.to/3fVVwrF" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Logic of Life</a>, Francois Jacob* <a href="https://amzn.to/3u2njPl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Spikes: Exploring the Neural Code</a>, Rieka et al* Honorary mention: <a href="https://amzn.to/3tYVuaO" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Endless Forms Most Beautiful</a>, Sean B CarrollBooks we talked about: * Randy’s <a href="https://amzn.to/3fXgFBG" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Memory and the Computational Brain</a>* <a href="https://amzn.to/3AtoQ26" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Structural Basis of Behavior</a>, J. Anthony DeutschPapers we talked about: * Randy’s recent paper on the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0010027720303528?casa_token=Q0XXzJBku5gAAAAA:Pij9NzDK-nSH5vQuN1eEwU2FJqAv_g7j-2PWyRBBP7Lb83blFSd6JErOShn8vDbpsUAIgr20vg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Physical Basis of Memory</a>Like this episode? Here’s another one to check out:I’d love to know what you thought of this episode! Just reply to this email or send a note directly to my inbox. Feel free to tweet me @CodyKommers. You can also leave a rating for the show on iTunes (or another platform). This is super helpful, as high ratings are one of the biggest factors platforms look at in their recommender system algorithms. The better the ratings, the more they present the show to new potential listeners.Also: If you’d like to unsubscribe from these weekly podcast emails, you can do so while still remaining on the email list that features my weekly writing. Thanks for following my work! This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://codykommers.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=CTA_2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">codykommers.substack.com/subscribe</a>

#79: Randy Gallistel on Upsetting Neuroscientists (The Theory)

Randy Gallistel is an Emeritus Professor of Psychology at Rutgers University, studying the cellular substrate of learning and memory. He is one of the biggest critics of the mainstream hypothesis that synaptic plasticity is the neurobiological basis of memory, and has argued for the cell-intrinsic hypothesis of memory storage – the idea that memory is stored in intracellular molecules.  TIMESTAMPS (00:36) – Memory and computation (24:42) – Critique of the synaptic plasticity hypothesis of memory (41:48) – Number coding   (55:48) – Computational theory of mind vs Connectionism (01:08:54) – The synaptic plasticity debate (1:26:15) – Cell-intrinsic hypothesis of memory storage (2:16:30) – Resistance against the cell-intrinsic hypothesis (2:31:57) – Neural networks (2:40:56) – Favourite part of science (2:46:12) – Meaning of life (2:47:18) – Advice for young scientists   NOTES Hessameddin Akhlaghpour's paper showing RNA can be a computation system: An RNA-based theory of natural universal computation Book about information theory – Spikes: Exploring the Neural Code

Randy Gallistel is an Emeritus Professor of Psychology at Rutgers University, studying the cellular substrate of learning and memory. He is one of the biggest critics of the mainstream hypothesis that synaptic plasticity is the neurobiological basis of memory, and has argued for the cell-intrinsic hypothesis of memory storage – the idea that memory is stored in intracellular molecules. TIMESTAMPS (00:36) – Memory and computation (24:42) – Critique of the synaptic plasticity hypothesis of memory (41:48) – Number coding   (55:48) – Computational theory of mind vs Connectionism (01:08:54) – The synaptic plasticity debate (1:26:15) – Cell-intrinsic hypothesis of memory storage (2:16:30) – Resistance against the cell-intrinsic hypothesis (2:31:57) – Neural networks (2:40:56) – Favourite part of science (2:46:12) – Meaning of life (2:47:18) – Advice for young scientists  NOTES Hessameddin Akhlaghpour's paper showing RNA can be a computation system: <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022519321004045?via%3Dihub" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">An RNA-based theory of natural universal computation</a> Book about information theory – <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Spikes-Exploring-Neural-Computational-Neuroscience/dp/0262681080" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Spikes: Exploring the Neural Code</a>