Recently, I was interested to academic models of processing. They may seem dumb and useless, and usually are, because they're very simplistic and are general knowledge, but they pretty much "define" intelligent systems.
It may define computers, as well as it may define the human brain.
The most traditional model is the three-component model which has components for input, processing, and output : "input is processed to make an output".
Input -> Processing -> Output
We can also imagine a 2-component model "input compares to and modifies output", but comparison and modification are like "processing".
Input -> Output
We can also imagine some consistent 4-component model, which there's an additional component of Storage :
Input -> Processing -> Output
and Processing <-> Storage
I'm wondering if other components are possible, but I'm retaining the three-component model for now.
Accepting functions have Strong Input
Conscious functions have Strong Processing
Strong functions have Strong Output
This is a definition I can give for functions.
I'm making an analogy with file systems :
Functions 1 and 7 are Read/Write
Functions 2 and 8 are Read Only
Functions 3 and 5 are Write Only
Functions 4 and 6 are Locked
I hope someday I'll know how the +/- thing may fit into something like this, i.e. what variable should we add or such. We have 16 functions and elements, not just 8. - and + aren't the same thing. - is about objective correlations, whereas + is about subjective dependencies.
Recently, I found an analogy between the Big Three and IM :
Serotonin level (mood) defines the level of motivation for Inputting
Norepinephrin level (stress) defines the level of motivation for Processing
Dopamine level (drive) defines the level of motivation for Outputting