What is hierarchical organization?

Hierarchical organization refers to a system where elements are ranked one above the other according to their importance or inclusiveness. Andrew Huberman explains this concept with the example of the visual system, where basic sensory information (like light and dark or colors) forms the building blocks that increasingly complex processes build upon. This arrangement allows for the elaboration of detailed perceptions from simple sensory inputs, similar to recognizing faces or conceptualizing words from basic visual cues 1.

Additionally, in the field of neuroscience, this concept extends to cognitive functions like rule storage in the brain, particularly in the frontal lobes. Here, rules are stored in a hierarchical order, with different levels of complexity and importance, helping in situations that require judgment and decision-making under various conditions 2.