As such, the brain is a feed forward hierarchical state machine with special properties that enable it to learn.

The hierarchy is capable of memorizing frequently observed sequences (Cognitive modules) of patterns and developing invariant representations.

Higher levels of the cortical hierarchy predict the future on a longer time scale, or over a wider range of sensory input.

Lower levels interpret or control limited domains of experience, or sensory or effector systems.

[1]: 50, 51, 55 As an engineer, any specific failure to find a natural occurrence of some process in his framework does not signal a fault in the memory-prediction framework per se, but merely signals that the natural process has performed Hawkins' functional decomposition in a different, unexpected way, as Hawkins' motivation is to create intelligent machines.

In primary sensory cortex, Hawkins predicts, for example, "we should find anticipatory cells in or near V1, at a precise location in the visual field (the scene)".

Hawkins posits that these cells will remain active for the duration of the learned sequence, even if the remainder of the cortical column is shifting state.

If an unusual event occurs (the learned sequence fails), the "exception cells" should fire, propagating up the cortical hierarchy to the hippocampus, the repository of new memories.

Pyramidal cells should be capable of detecting coincident events on thin dendrites, even for a neuron with thousands of synapses.

Hawkins posits a temporal window (presuming time-encoded firing) which is necessary for his theory to remain viable.