Yes and no. The brain is a complex, highly structured 3-dimensional circuit made up of 100 billion neuron. read more
The result is that the neurons all act independently to wire themselves"randomly" but according to rules and while sensing the activity of the neurons in their vicinity. The result is that precisely calibrated circuits are wired through a process that is essentially random but guided. read more
Wrong premise. Neurons do, by no means, connect “randomly”. At all. The interactions are very specific and making “mistakes” often leads to serious neurological diseases (there is a reference an article you can read for more details and more references). As for the “sub-question(s)”, that is a long one to try to answer. read more
As neurons differentiate, they extend axons that must find their appropriate targets. This development of long-range connections, or pathway formation, in the CNS occurs in three phases: Pathway selection, Target selection, and Address selection. read more
At a high level, neurons feel, taste, and smell their way to other neurons in order to form synapses. The process is somewhat random but also systematic and not arbitrary. As neuron axons are growing, they send out feelers to find their way to good places to go. read more