[lbo-talk] Left-neoliberalism: a bold strategy for the year 1999

[Miles Jackson]

Carrol Cox wrote:
> On 8/6/2011 2:20 PM, Shane Mage wrote:
> 
>>
>> Don't they transmit electrical impulses?
> 
> 
> In the nerves they do but not in the brain, where signals are 
> transmitted  chemically. That's one of the neater arguments against 
> 'intelligent' design: why design such a fast system for the nerves, such 
> a clumsy system for the brain?  Id my memory is wrong here, Ian will 
> correct  me. :-)
> 
> Carrol

Yes, that's about right.  An action potential (positive charge) is 
propagated along the neuron's axon, and then the presynaptic neuron 
sends an inhibitory or excitatory neurochemical message to the 
postsynaptic neuron.  It's way, way more complicated than an electrical 
circuit--hence Ian's rejection of the "neurons are wires" metaphor.

MIles