Theory 38/Plasticity vs Canalisation/Neuroscience
Plastic Brains Forget
The claim
Neural plasticity trades against network stability, so a circuit kept highly plastic cannot hold learned structure without interference.
01Mechanism
Plasticity is change; stability requires that synapses resist change. The same parameter controls both, and the balance sets the trade-off.
02Prediction
Retention should fall as plasticity rises.
03Refutation
Retention independent of plasticity would remove the trade-off.