Is it theoretically possible to emulate a human brain on a computer?

Posted by JoelK on Stack Overflow See other posts from Stack Overflow or by JoelK
Published on 2010-05-13T10:39:28Z Indexed on 2010/05/13 10:44 UTC
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Our brain consists of billions of neurons which basically work with all the incoming data from our senses, handle our consciousness, emotions and creativity as well as our hormone system, etc.

So I'm completely new to this topic but doesn't each neuron have a fixed function? E.g.: If a signal of strength x enters, if the last signal was x ms ago, redirect it.

From what I've learned in biology about our nerves system which includes our brain because both consist of simple neurons, it seems to me as our brain is one big, complicated computer.

Maybe so complicated that things such as intelligence and cognition become possible?

As the most complicated things about a neuron pretty much are the chemical aspects on generating an electric singal, keeping itself alive, and eventually segmenting itself, it should be pretty easy emulating some on a computer, or? You won't have to worry about keeping your virtual neuron alive, or?

  • If you can emulate a single neuron on a computer, which shouldn't be too hard, could you theoretically emulate more than 1000 billions of them, recreating intelligence, cognition and maybe even creativity?

In my question I'm leaving out the following aspects:

  • Speed of our current (super) computers
  • Actually writing a program for emulating neurons

I don't know much about this topic, please tell me if I got anything wrong :)

(My secret goal: Make a copy of my brain and store it on some 10 million TB HDD and make someone start it up in the future)

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