(Reflectivity and Consciousness Part 2 - Strategies For Attacking The
Puzzles)
Consider the two hypotheses put forward. I have suggested that an
effective communication system, consciousness and reflectivity are all
the same thing. This is the means through which the sub-agents of the
mind talk to each in order to integrate their behaviour. And so
intimate does the link between mathematics and knowledge appear to be
- when we consider algorithms as 'dynamical mathematical objects' the
picture we are drawn to suggests a network of 'knowledge nodes' with
consciousness itself as the DP Modelling Language of the mind. Bring
together the ideas suggested and a new strategy for solving
reflectivity suggests itself.
Solving Reflectivity
*Firstly, stop searching for the oxy-moronic 'Reflective Decision
Theory'. There isn't one. Reflectivity, we have established, is not
in the decision making business, it's in the communications business.
The tools we should be deploying to solve reflectivity are the tools
of Communication Theory, *not* the tools of Decision Theory.
*Secondly, bring to bear the tools that already exist for an analogous
field: the field of data communications. Deploy the language of
nodes, time messaging and networking.
*Thirdly, investigate further the connections between the computer
science and the pure mathematical sciences to obtain further insights
and unifications of helpful concepts. Model mathematics using the
object oriented paradigm and consider algorithms as 'mathematical
objects' which can have states, identities and behaviours. This
approach leads naturally to the big idea that consciousness is 'The DP
Modelling Language Of The Mind'
*Draw analogies to other fields of mathematics to obtain clues about
specific tools for use in attacking reflectivity puzzles. For
instance, concepts from Calculus are suspected to be relevant. Recall
that Reflection was considered to be 'a network of interacting
knowledge nodes' and 'a system of interacting dynamical mathematical
objects'. These are concepts roughly analogous to physical objects
moving through fields, which is modelling using Calculus. The concept
of a 'Limit' looks important. Considering again our cognitive network
of interacting sub-agents, unified behaviour involves moving the
system towards an optimal 'Limit'. This again, brings to mind the
concept of a 'Limit' from the branch of calculus, for calculus itself
is the science of limits.
Conclusion
A sketch of some new perspectives was here suggested for attacking the
puzzles of consciousness and reflectivity. It was suggested that
reflectivity is not what it is believed to be. It is not, it was here
argued, a part of Decision Theory, but instead should be thought of as
part of Communication Theory. Two core hypotheses were suggested. (1)
That the function of consciousness is as an internal communication
system of the mind which enables sub-agents to interact effectively
and (2) That reflectivity can be considered as a network of
interacting dynamical 'mathematical objects' (knowledge nodes) which
points to an equivalence between reflectivity and consciousness and
suggests that conscious itself is the 'DP Modelling Language Of The
Mind'. A few more specific ideas were suggested, namely that the
mathematics of Calculus (and especially the concept of a 'Limit')
could be highly relevant to the solution to the twin puzzles of
consciousness and reflectivity.
--
(Whew). Done. (Marc winks at the world and grins)
'Reflectivity and Consciousness' by
Marc Geddes
22nd August, 2007
Auckland,
New Zealand
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Everything List" group.
To post to this group, send email to everything-list.domain.name.hidden
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to everything-list-unsubscribe.domain.name.hidden
For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/everything-list?hl=en
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
Received on Wed Aug 22 2007 - 00:58:10 PDT