True, it does allow for some flexibility, however, I feel you cant really consider how only one area of the brain allows us to be machine-like whilst ignoring the rest. If you look at only the neocortex, from a superficial view, then yes, it would be quite flexible in function and if you looked at some other areas, from a superficial view also, then yes, those would be rather rigid in function. However, the one needs the other because the neocortex alone is somewhat lost and the rest alone is somewhat lost. Overall, I don't think we're machine-like, I think we're more of a cyborg, able to be machine-like for certain things but for other things, we're able to have the proper flexibility and combine the flexibility and rigidity together to make a functional being.