Well I found this little sound-byte from a link in the original article. I didn't find it particularly original.

From [0] > “Programs” are written using special blueprints called corelets. Each corelet specifies the basic functioning of a network of neurosynaptic cores. Individual corelets can be linked into more and more complex structures—nested, Modha says, “like Russian dolls.”

The term 'Russian doll' evoked recursion (and distant memories of my late grandfather), very common even 50 odd years ago.

[0] http://www.technologyreview.com/news/517876/ibm-scientists-s...