Spontaneous representation of numerosity zero in a deep neural network for visual object recognition

Autor: Khaled Nasr, Andreas Nieder
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2021
Předmět:
Zdroj: iScience, Vol 24, Iss 11, Pp 103301- (2021)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 2589-0042
DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.103301
Popis: Summary: Conceiving “nothing” as a numerical value zero is considered a sophisticated numerical capability that humans share with cognitively advanced animals. We demonstrate that representation of zero spontaneously emerges in a deep learning neural network without any number training. As a signature of numerical quantity representation, and similar to real neurons from animals, numerosity zero network units show maximum activity to empty sets and a gradual decrease in activity with increasing countable numerosities. This indicates that the network spontaneously ordered numerosity zero as the smallest numerical value along the number line. Removal of empty-set network units caused specific deficits in the network's judgment of numerosity zero, thus reflecting these units' functional relevance. These findings suggest that processing visual information is sufficient for a visual number sense that includes zero to emerge and explains why cognitively advanced animals with whom we share a nonverbal number system exhibit rudiments of numerosity zero.
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