Memory-prediction Framework - Contribution and Limitations

Contribution and Limitations

By design, the current theory builds on the work of numerous neurobiologists, and it may be argued that most of these ideas have already been proposed by researchers such as Grossberg and Mountcastle. On the other hand, the novel separation of the conceptual machinery of bidirectional processing and invariant recognition from the biological details of neural layers, columns and structures lays the foundation for abstract thinking about a wide range of cognitive processes.

The most significant limitation of this theory is its current lack of detail. For example, the concept of invariance plays a crucial role; Hawkins posits "name cells" for at least some of these invariants. (See also Neural ensemble#Encoding for grandmother neurons which perform this type of function, and mirror neurons for a somatosensory system viewpoint.) But it is far from obvious how to develop a mathematically rigorous definition, which will carry the required conceptual load across the domains presented by Hawkins. Similarly, a complete theory will require credible details on both the short-term dynamics and the learning processes that will enable the cortical layers to behave as advertised.