Message-ID: <193339Z11071995@anon.penet.fi>
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From: an306358@anon.penet.fi
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Reply-To: an306358@anon.penet.fi
Date: Tue, 11 Jul 1995 19:29:42 UTC
Subject: The New "Cognitive Physics"p2of5
Lines: 43

The Rockford Analogy (part 2)

After years of contemplation, I can find no demonstrative analogy for perhaps
the most fascinating aspect of cognitive physics, that of Random Perspective
Expansion (RPX).

This impasse reminds me of my 11 year old son, and his repeated inquiries as
to the distance represented by a light-year.  He is quite accustomed to
having his questions answered in a manner which propels his continued
thought.  I have told him only that a light year is so much greater than any
distance in our experience, that it is not possible for us to imagine a
useful working abstract concept (beyond mathematical definition).  This is of
course the correct answer, but he is understandably dissatisfied.

Having said this, I will now attempt to present a useful analogy of an
explosion type of expansion within cognitive space.

Abstractly, this is when a task network adopts an overview (of a portion), of
its own cognitive matter, as a decision environment.  It's kind of like a
"stake out" on Rockford.  Jim watches the suspect's apartment from the bar
across the street.  Maybe he sees something interesting (detects a new or
known pattern), maybe not.  My point is elsewhere, and two part:

1. The cognitive space of a given entity (task network) is a 3D metropolis of
tangible isolable but connected structures that may be "staked out" to reveal
order in the (perhaps seemingly remote) target universe.

2. If Angel Martin also watches from the roof, the team will be twice as
likely to discover some useful information (order: i.e. the discovery of any
existing useful inherent order within the target environment); the point
being that this continues to be true, even if the suspect (the target
environment) is currently located on the other side of town (the cognitive
task structure).
(see part 3)
Copyright 1995.  All Rights Reserved.
by David Albert Harrell
DAHarrell@aol.com

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