Abstract
Codes are crucial for biological systems because they allow control. The biological codes are interfaces between signals (whether external or internal) and functions. They codify a signal in order to give rise to appropriate functions or functional actions. Humans impose codes on external signals, thus influence biological (neural) functions in themselves and others. They do this through the mental codification of operations on physical items with the purpose of making these a codified system. The mind is a function of biological-neural processes and for this reason is able to put signals and functions in a feedback loop. Focusing on actions, we can distinguish three levels: Scripts (rational plans), schema tic scenes (programming), and motor categories (execution of behavior). We can further distinguished a level of more basic motor acts, like prehension, pulling, pushing, etc. All motor categories expand in scenes while all scenes are organized in scripts. Through this code the mind maps possible operations on signals in an informational space such that the result is itself a combination of external physical units according to a code. In this way the mind can influence both its own and conspecifics’ neural excitation patterns and functions.
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Auletta, G. (2017). Connection Between Scripts Embedding Motor Schemes and Decision Making. In: Angel, HF., Oviedo, L., Paloutzian, R., Runehov, A., Seitz, R. (eds) Processes of Believing: The Acquisition, Maintenance, and Change in Creditions. New Approaches to the Scientific Study of Religion , vol 1. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-50924-2_4
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