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From: rscanlon@pica.army.mil (Raymond D. Scanlon (CCB))
Subject: Common sense: Explicit or Implicit
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Organization: U.S Army ARDEC, Picatinny Arsenal, NJ
Date: Thu, 1 Sep 1994 16:23:00 GMT
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A J Horovitz writes:

>In article <CvEozB.DGJ@pica.army.mil>, rscanlon@pica.army.mil (Raymond D.
>Scanlon (CCB)) writes:

>>Since it takes a finite time for one neuron to affect another,
>>possibly we could distinguish between explicit knowledge and
>>implicit knowledge by an arbitrary number of synaptic actions. This
>>could be expressed by a time period. Say, less than one-third
>>second is explicit; more than one-third second is implicit.

>Save for that small detail known as parallel processing.  Parallel
>processing leads us to the questions: which neuron, what time period, and
>how do we show the arrow of causality?

All the neurons are alive all the time, but at any given instant some
are more active than others. Parallel processing isn't a good concept
when thinking about brain action. There is a time from sensory input
to motor output. Let us say 10 exp 9 neurons were active during this
period. If there mutual interactions resulted in motor output in
less than one-third second, I say the knowledge was explicit. If
2*10 exp neurons were active and it took over one-third second, I say
the knowledge was implicit.

Why not?

>>Since common sense is characterized by minimal time, we can then
>>say that common sense is explicit.

>Is minimal time what characterizes "common sense", or rather the ability
>to solve a problem in a time constraint? I suspect we'll need a better
>definition of common sense to resolve these questions. 

I feel that most people think common sense is fast. I just picked one-
third second out of the air. 

>just a thought-

>Alex

Bill Skaggs writes:

>Explicitness is in the eye of the beholder.

>        -- Bill

I couldn't agree more.

Ray



"What is thought except a movement that is not connected to a motor
neuron."
          Attributed to Walle Nauta


