Associative Learning

There is a lot of neural evidence for learning by association.
Node A is activated, and sends activation to Node B.
Node B is then activated. (It doesn't have to be and it always takes more than one node to activate another.)
If this happens, the strength of the axon is increased.
That's the Hebbian learning rule, but Hebb didn't know about inhibitory neurons when he formed it.
If B is not activated, then the strength of the axon is decreased. (This is a bit more recent 1955.) Hebb later agreed with this when some neural evidence was found.
That's basically it.
It doens't need a Hommunculus.
Intelligence emerges from a simple system.