Biological Information Processing Using the Concept of Interpenetrating Domains

Abstract

In any meaningful discussion of information processing in the nervous system there will inevitably be aspects of theory, of experimental data or experiment and of ultimate application. Almost invariably, however, we will, without conscious plan, adjust the informational system in which we discuss the problem to be stationary in all aspects except that which we are exercising in our discussion. We may, for example, take a particular set of experimental facts and try to fit them into an existing theoretical framework or we may plan a new set of experiments to test an established or newly formulated theoretical idea. Alternatively we may use a body of experimental knowledge formulated in terms of available theoretical formulations to design a new laboratory technique or to achieve a “useful” social or economic purpose.