> It wasn't that long ago that we considered the brain and a computer to also be quite similar
Many people in tech still think this. It will take a while to dislodge the idea that if you squint enough, cells, brains, etc. are all basically computers, because it flatters the egos of computer programmers.
There are genuine connections between specific biological systems and certain ideas in computer science, but most of the casual analogies you hear from tech people only serve to inflate their own perceived authority ("I know a lot about computers, and cells/brains are like computers, so here is my take about cells/brains...")
Many people in tech still think this. It will take a while to dislodge the idea that if you squint enough, cells, brains, etc. are all basically computers, because it flatters the egos of computer programmers.
There are genuine connections between specific biological systems and certain ideas in computer science, but most of the casual analogies you hear from tech people only serve to inflate their own perceived authority ("I know a lot about computers, and cells/brains are like computers, so here is my take about cells/brains...")