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10/06/2007: "Human brain guided by design more than stimulus"

Spontaneous, yet organized brain activity has been observed without stimulation and even in humans under anesthesia. This paper attempts to link this activity to the observed variability of human performance in even simple, repeated tasks, hoping to establish a new avenue of research into alternative brain processing theories.

Spontaneous activity accounted for about 60 percent of the variation between tests. The authors say that these results show that spontaneous brain activity is more than simply a physiological artifact; it helps account for some of the variability in human behavior. In that sense, they argue for a greater acceptance of the view that our brain may have some intrinsic activity that's somewhat independent of sensory input.

[ Science discovers yet again that humanity has a soul, or at least a decent stand-in. Our behavior occurs more according to our wiring than machine-like, insect reaction to stimulus. However, this ability varies greatly between humans, as the genetic design varies greatly between them. We should probably pick the ones that are most internally organized to lead us. ]

http://arstechnica.com/journals/science.ars/2007/10/04/human-behavior-linked-to-spontaneous-brain-activity