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I thought mcrepeau's comments on Tourette Syndrome was another interesting direction to take this conversation. I hope in class we can begin to apply what we've learned with our battery theory and action potentials in helping to explain things that are more commonplace. This will only help further our understandings of what a "battery" is, and I agree with Evan as well that it is difficult to think of a battery as not something that is in our remote controls but as a machine itself. But seeing the whole picture, I think the battery example is definitely up to par in explaining action potentials (Although I'm not sure we covered where the "first pulse" comes from; what are sensory transducers? and how do they become stimulated?). Also, I'd like to talk more about the "leaky region of the membrane", and why leakages allow for signals to start and end in the middle of the system. Moreover, what is "the middle" of the system?

I would also be interesting in talking more about multiple sclerosis and loss of myelin.What are the mechanics involved in replacing lost myelin? Why does MS get worse over time?

After reading "Inverting the Relationship", I find I'm still puzzled as to where "meaning" comes in to all this. To me, "meaning" implies volition, and I don't think our neurons are aware of the pulses and depolarization occurring, much less the motor response that is the eventual outcome. But then, that doesn't necessarily mean the occurrences are "random," because there is a system and a pattern. I'm not sure these two things are opposites, or perhaps even comparable. The opposite of random would be planned, or something synonymous, and the opposite of meaning would be pointless. So can something be both random and have meaning? Or planned and pointless? I think so..