Lighting up the peeve center

[mmcirvin]

FrinkTank is angry about news articles on functional MRI that talk about parts of your brain "lighting up".

This is approximately how I feel when reading the "quantum mechanics is magic!!" articles.

Comments

My brain DOES light up

[twillis.livejournal.com]

Because I filled it with LEDs.

Re: My brain DOES light up

[mmcirvin.livejournal.com]

You're Mr. Data! Does your head mysteriously get bigger when part of your face has been torn off to expose the circuitry beneath?

Re: My brain DOES light up

[twillis.livejournal.com]

Android heads function not unlike overstuffed suitcases.

Which is why robots kick their asses.

Re: My brain DOES light up

[schwa242.livejournal.com]

I tried that once, but I just wrapped it with Lite Brite paper and tried jamming plastic pegs in it and now sometimes I have trouble finishing finishing finishing finishing finishing finishing finishing finishing finishing finishing finishing finishing finishing finishing finishing finishing finishing finishing finishing finishing finishing finishing finishing finishing finishing finishing finishing finishing finishing

I don't get it.

[vardissakheli.livejournal.com]

What's wrong with describing brain regions as figuratively "lighting up" with increased blood flow (which does, after all, bring more energy to those regions), as illustrated in the renderings of PET images? Or have I misinterpreted your complaint?

Re: I don't get it.

[mmcirvin.livejournal.com]

This isn't my specialty, but mostly I think he doesn't like the implication that the scans are anything other than superficial, coarse-grained pictures of brain activity.