I use the term ‘reader’ as a metaphor to refer to a classifier-actuator mechanism. The reader is both an observer-integrator and a decision maker in the sense that it generates a tangible, measurable, and interpretable output. In the simplest case, the output is binary, such as an action potential of a neuron. The reader is not necessarily an independent, isolated unit but it can be part of the assembly itself, much like members of an orchestra, where each member is a reader of others’ actions. Separation of the reader mechanism from the assembly concept is needed only for a disciplined definition of neuronal alliances serving well-defined goals.
