In a recent paper published in PNAS titled “Building transformers from neurons and astrocytes,” the computational role of neuron-astrocyte interactions in relation to transformers, an AI architecture responsible for Language Models (LLMs), was explored. Glial cells, specifically astrocytes, have been found to play a crucial role in cognitive processes such as learning and memory.

Debates surrounding the intelligence of LLMs primarily revolve around the fact that they are trained to predict the next word, leading to questions about whether this truly constitutes intelligence. Similarly, there is a parallel discussion in understanding Consciousness, where the relationship between language and consciousness is examined.

Language is intricately tied to consciousness, as it allows individuals to express their existence and externalize their thoughts and experiences. Language acts as an extension of Human awareness and facilitates the communication of complex ideas, including mathematics, which plays a significant role in human intelligence.

While language is commonly associated with human languages, it can have a broader meaning. For example, in avian communication, certain actions or signals can be loosely described as a form of language. Birds communicate through movement, such as when one bird takes a sudden flight and others follow, indicating the presence of a possible threat. This communication through movement can be considered a form of “bird language.”

The human mind consists of two key components: electrical and chemical impulses. These impulses interact to produce various cognitive processes and experiences. Electrical impulses interact with chemical impulses, resulting in the encoding and retrieval of memories, emotions, sensations, thoughts, and more.

Language is an available stretch of the mind and plays a crucial role in receiving and giving intelligence, as well as shaping consciousness. The mind’s electrical impulses, combined with chemical impulses, define the rationing or fills that occur in neural circuits. These rationings determine the different sensory experiences, emotions, thoughts, and memories that individuals perceive.

Though other organisms may not possess language in the same way humans do, their limitations stem from a lack of rationing or fills for complex understanding, problem-solving, and comprehension. Language expands the possibilities of human intelligence and consciousness by providing a medium for thought-expression and expanding the extent of human knowledge within the memory space.

Sources: PNAS – “Building transformers from neurons and astrocytes”

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