Many respected neocortex researchers believe there is effectively one algorithm for all intelligence.

Judged as of February 2015. True: the published literature shows several prominent, credentialed neuroscientists who study the neocortex (for example in the tradition of Mountcastle's common cortical algorithm hypothesis) holding that one common cortical algorithm underlies intelligence, and that this is a significant, recognised position. Mostly true: the hypothesis is held by a recognised group of researchers, but the claim slightly overstates how widely it is held or how strongly it is believed. Mixed: there are some proponents, but the field is sharply divided and the idea's standing is contested. Mostly false: only one or two figures, or mainly non-specialists, held the view, so 'many respected researchers' distorts a niche position. False: no respected neocortex researchers held the view.

Set before the research began.

1. E1 1 Toward a Universal Cortical Algorithm arXiv (author: Michael R. Ferrier, Brown University)

   “In review, there is compelling evidence that the various areas of cerebral cortex all implement a common algorithm.”

2. E2 Sequence memory for prediction, inference and behaviour PubMed Central (Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B theme issue) · 12 May 2009

   “Previously, we have proposed that the neocortex can be modelled as a hierarchy of memory regions, each of which learns and recalls sequences.”

3. E3 Canonical circuits of the cerebral cortex as enablers of neuroprosthetics PubMed Central · 8 November 2013

   “Otto Creutzfeld believed that these repetitive neocortical microcircuits processed information in similar manner with the resultant output depending on both the source of information and modulatory influences peculiar to each brain region”

4. E4 The cortical column: a structure without a function PubMed Central (Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B) · 29 April 2005

   “Although the column is an attractive concept, it has failed as a unifying principle for understanding cortical function.”

E1, an undated arXiv paper, finds "compelling evidence" that the various areas of cerebral cortex all implement a common algorithm. E3 records the neuroscientist Otto Creutzfeldt's view that repeated neocortical microcircuits process information in a similar way, and E2 sets out a model of the neocortex as a hierarchy of memory regions, each of which learns and recalls sequences. Together these show the common-algorithm idea was a recognised position before February 2015. However, E4 (2005) says the cortical column "has failed as a unifying principle" for understanding cortical function, which indicates that related ideas were questioned, and the evidence names only a few proponents. "Many respected researchers" therefore somewhat overstates how widely and how firmly the view was held.