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Okay...so I get the idea of the battery is stored energy across a synapse...but...I'm still wondering...why is this a more conducive way to look at it? As an alternative way I can accept, but does it open doors for better understanding action potentials?

I like that Angel brought up the fact of outputs that appear to have no input, because I too was on the side that believed that it was there, just separated in time. The fact that random motion in ions can cause depolarization which causes action potentials is interesting, but I have to stick by my gut which tells me that there has been previous input which has modified a structure so that it has a tendency to fire an AP.

While not doubting that at times there is random movement that may cause an AP, I think that it is regulated (although I'm not sure how) so that the action potentials that are "supposed to happen" actually propagate.

This leads me to the place where I am confused. Action potentials have a purpose. No one would doubt that. Yet, we have also seen that they can be/are purposeless, merely obeying the laws of physics. The line between the two, where intent emerges is what I'd like to understand more of.

I just can't get my head around the fact that...I'm sitting here, thinking this...causing action potentials to occur, but...without directing those action potentials. How does the first neuron know to depolarize and send its message?