Connectionism, Controllers, and a Brain Theory

This paper proposes a new theory for the internal mechanisms of the brain. It postulates that there are controllers in the brain and that there are parts of the brain that control other parts. Thus, the theory refutes the connectionist theory that there are no separate controllers in the brain for higher level functions and that all control is ldquolocal and distributedrdquo at the level of the cells. Connectionist algorithms themselves are used to prove this theory. Moreover, there is evidence in the neuroscience literature to support this theory. Thus, this paper proposes a control theoretic approach for understanding how the brain works and learns. That means that control theoretic principles should be applicable to developing systems similar to the brain.