The Greeks discovered that human memory is largely an associative process-that it works by linking things together. For example, think of an apple.

希腊人发现人类的记忆力是个关的过程，事互连接产生影响，例如，想想苹果。

In general, there are two major groups of synesthetes, projective and associative.

般来说，有两大类觉者：投射觉和想觉。

And that's all a habit is, associative learning.

这就是习惯，想学习。

When people are bored, they have an increase in " associative thought" — the process of making new connections between ideas, which is linked to innovative thinking.

当人们感到无聊时，他们会增加“想思维”，即在思想之建立新系的过程，这与创新思维有关。

Of course these findings are associative and not necessarily causal.

当然这些发现之并没有系而且不存在因果必然关系。

By comparing which animals demonstrate unlimited associative learning today, it is also possible to trace back through the evolutionary tree to guess which of our ancestors first evolved this ability and, therefore, when consciousness first evolved on Earth.

通过比较今天哪些动表现出无限的想学习能力，也有可能追溯进化树，猜测我们的祖先是谁首先进化出这种能力的，因此，意识是什么时候在地球上进化出来的。

Making lists also lets our brains do something called " associative thinking, " which is coming up with the next stepping-stone of thought based on what we were originally thinking about.

列清单还能让我们的大脑进行种叫做“想思维”的活动，即根据我们最初的想法，想出的想法。

This connection of cause to effect - known as associative, or reinforcement learning - is central to how most animals deal with the world.

这种因果关系——被称为想学习，或强化学习——是大多数动行为的核心。

But where mind-wandering really gets interesting is when it crosses into the realm of free-moving associative thought that you aren't consciously directing.

但是，走神真正有趣的地方是当它跨越到并非你有意引导的天马行空的想领域。

It proposes a model of associative learning which suggests that researchers have got things backwards.

这项研究提出了个想学习模型，认为研究人员把事情搞反了。

This is the reason it's called unlimited associative learning.

这就是它被称为无限想学习的原因。

And this helps explain why consciousness evolved, because according to Jablonka and Ginsburg, unlimited associative learning is only possible if you possess all the abilities associated with consciousness.

这有助于解释为什么意识会进化，因为根据 Jablonka 和 Ginsburg 的说法，无限的想学习只有在你拥有所有与意识关的能力时才有可能。

Well, an exciting new theory from Ava Jablonka at Tel Aviv University and Simona Ginsburg at the Open University of Israel hinges around a process called unlimited associative learning.

特拉维夫大学的艾娃·雅布隆卡和以色列开放大学的西蒙娜·金斯伯格提出了个令人兴奋的新理论，这个理论围绕着个被称为无限想学习的过程。

For example, unlimited associative learning helps animals to respond to changing environments and to explore new territories.

例如，无限的想学习有助于动对不断变化的环境做出反应，并探索新的领域。

I like to read a few things at the same time, a very associative thinker.

我喜欢同时阅读些东西，是个非常善于想的思考者。

We can build a quantum associative memory out of atoms and photons.

我们可以利用原子和光子构建量子关存储器。

It's like we fell into some sort of weird, associative Greek myth or something.

我们仿佛坠入了个诡异、关性的希腊神话或什么的。

Which means to me that, This creative associative benefit of sleep transcends cultural boundaries.

这意味着， 对我而言，睡眠带来的创造性想益处超越了文化界限。

You've got like natural magic based on things like this sort of associative power.

你拥有基于类似这种想力量的自然魔法。

If so, pure fellow-feeling, by the very fact of being inexplicable in genetic or associative terms, lends support to the conclusion that all persons intrinsically capable of sharing in this feeling have one and the same creator.

因此，纯粹的同理心， 正因为其在遗传或想方面的不可解释性，支持了这样个结论：所有内在能够分享这种情感的人， 都拥有同个创造者。