To Profit Or Explore Might Be The Meaning Of Life

London, UK (SPX) Jun 16, 2006

People are constantly pulled between profiting from the things they know will reap rewards and exploring new options - but it is exploration that uses high-level regions of the brain, according to a study by UCL (University College London) scientists published in Nature on 15th June.

http://www.terradaily.com/reports/To_Profit_Or_Explore_Might_Be_The_Meaning_Of_Life.html

To quote:

Dr Daw, UCL Gatsby Computational Neuroscience Unit, said: "Whether you are a stockbroker, a gambler choosing between slot machines or an animal trying to forage for food, the desire to select what seems the richest option is always balanced against the desire to choose a less familiar option that might turn out to serve better. This exploration is often critical to survival."