(Slideshare Version) 2. Emergence, Priming, And Understanding

Odysseus and the SirensOdysseus and the Sirens (1891) (1891)

John William WaterhouseJohn William Waterhouse

Odysseus was curious as to what the Sirens Odysseus was curious as to what the Sirens sounded like, so he had all his sailors plug sounded like, so he had all his sailors plug their ears with beeswax and tie him to the their ears with beeswax and tie him to the mast. He ordered his men to leave him mast. He ordered his men to leave him tied to the mast, no matter how much he tied to the mast, no matter how much he would beg. would beg.

When he heard their beautiful song, he When he heard their beautiful song, he ordered the sailors to untie him but they ordered the sailors to untie him but they either stuck to their orders, or they couldn't either stuck to their orders, or they couldn't hear him. hear him.

This is our story #1This is our story #1Let’s keep it for a minuteLet’s keep it for a minute

Story #2Story #2

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Story #3Story #3

In Feb, 14, 1989, In Feb, 14, 1989, Ayatollah Ruhollah Ayatollah Ruhollah KhomeiniKhomeini issued a Fatwa against Salman issued a Fatwa against Salman Rushdie, for the publication of Satanic Rushdie, for the publication of Satanic Verses.Verses.

A fatwa is a death sentence. Since “A fatwa is a death sentence. Since “though though shall not killshall not kill” is a sacred commandment ” is a sacred commandment from the Roman Catholic Church, they had from the Roman Catholic Church, they had condemned the fatwa.condemned the fatwa.

Or did they?Or did they?

The Roman Catholic church's reaction to The Roman Catholic church's reaction to Khomeini's threat was especially Khomeini's threat was especially remarkable, as it discovered its spiritual remarkable, as it discovered its spiritual kinship with the Imam and was visibly kinship with the Imam and was visibly fascinated by the success of the Iranian fascinated by the success of the Iranian god's reign. After all, what Khomeini had god's reign. After all, what Khomeini had done was something the Roman Catholic done was something the Roman Catholic church had not been able to accomplish in church had not been able to accomplish in its agitation against Martin Scorsese's film its agitation against Martin Scorsese's film "The Last Temptation of Christ." "The Last Temptation of Christ."

(from “(from “Blasphemy is enlightmentBlasphemy is enlightment”)”)

In its mouthpiece, In its mouthpiece, L'Osservatore RomanoL'Osservatore Romano, , the Vatican condemned the Vatican condemned The Satanic The Satanic VersesVerses as blasphemous. Rushdie had hurt as blasphemous. Rushdie had hurt the "religious feelings" of hundreds of the "religious feelings" of hundreds of millions of the Moslem faithful. millions of the Moslem faithful.

Affiliation with the Roman Catholic church Affiliation with the Roman Catholic church demanded rebuke of the blasphemous demanded rebuke of the blasphemous statements in the book, said the paper. statements in the book, said the paper. Pope John Paul IIPope John Paul II saw fit to call Khomeini saw fit to call Khomeini (after his overdue death) (after his overdue death) one of the one of the world's greatest religious leadersworld's greatest religious leaders. .

Not only Rome, but other high dignitaries of Not only Rome, but other high dignitaries of the church elsewhere got a word in: the church elsewhere got a word in: Cardinal Decourtray, head of the French Cardinal Decourtray, head of the French episcopal congregation, spoke of an episcopal congregation, spoke of an "insult to God"; "insult to God";

New York's Cardinal O'Connor stated it New York's Cardinal O'Connor stated it would be stupid to read Rushdie's book would be stupid to read Rushdie's book and that it was important to "and that it was important to "let Moslems let Moslems know we disapprove of attacks on their know we disapprove of attacks on their religionreligion." ."

The church had mapped their own situation The church had mapped their own situation with the ‘last temptation’ to the fatwa and with the ‘last temptation’ to the fatwa and ‘satanic verses’…‘satanic verses’…

Emergence, Priming, and UnderstandingEmergence, Priming, and UnderstandingHofstadter’s Cognitive Architecture, part (i)Hofstadter’s Cognitive Architecture, part (i)

Alexandre LinharesAlexandre Linhareshttp://www.capyblanca.comhttp://www.capyblanca.com

EmergenceEmergence

Chicagoland skydivingChicagoland skydiving

Thomas Schelling’s workThomas Schelling’s work

Our Our Jekyll and Hyde-nessJekyll and Hyde-ness nature nature

The case of the The case of the would-be cigarette quitterwould-be cigarette quitter

““Don’t let me ask for dessert”Don’t let me ask for dessert”““Don’t let me have the first drink”Don’t let me have the first drink”People that leave the alarm clock far from People that leave the alarm clock far from

the bedthe bed

When "you" are halfway awake and halfway When "you" are halfway awake and halfway asleep, if "you" open your eyes for a brief asleep, if "you" open your eyes for a brief instant, to close them for "just a little instant, to close them for "just a little minute", only to wake up hours after "you" minute", only to wake up hours after "you" had originally desired, let me ask: who are had originally desired, let me ask: who are the real you? The one that "briefly, but the real you? The one that "briefly, but consciously" had closed the eyes, or are consciously" had closed the eyes, or are you the one that woke up only to regret you the one that woke up only to regret those lost hours? The answer, strange as those lost hours? The answer, strange as it may seem, is: it may seem, is: you are "both", and you you are "both", and you are "neither".are "neither".

"You" are "both""You" are "both", in the sense that what , in the sense that what you do, think, and desire, is a fruit of the you do, think, and desire, is a fruit of the fight of all of these subcognitive fight of all of these subcognitive processes--the competition between those processes--the competition between those that say "awake now" and those saying that say "awake now" and those saying "just a sec". "just a sec".

At the same time, At the same time, "you" are "neither""you" are "neither" of of those individual processes--as neither those individual processes--as neither your behavior nor your thoughts can be your behavior nor your thoughts can be traced to any single one of them. traced to any single one of them.

Like the strange case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Like the strange case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, "you" are not one nor the other, Hyde, "you" are not one nor the other, "you" are the emergent product of many"you" are the emergent product of many..

Who are “you”?Who are “you”?

This is, in my opinion, the first This is, in my opinion, the first groundbreaking proposal from Hofstadter: groundbreaking proposal from Hofstadter:

the mind is the the mind is the emergentemergent product of a product of a number of subcognitive processes.number of subcognitive processes.

What is emergence like?What is emergence like?

• Ants foragingAnts foraging– If an ant finds food, it deposits pheromones If an ant finds food, it deposits pheromones

on the way back homeon the way back home– Each ant moves on randomly, with a slighter Each ant moves on randomly, with a slighter

chance of following a pheromone trailchance of following a pheromone trail• No centralized command: No centralized command:

– Emergence & self-organized phenomenaEmergence & self-organized phenomena

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EmergenceEmergence

The Mind is the product of numerous The Mind is the product of numerous different processes operating in parallel.different processes operating in parallel.

Sometimes these processes cooperate, Sometimes these processes cooperate, sometimes they bump into each other, sometimes they bump into each other, creating “confusion” in one’s mind.creating “confusion” in one’s mind.

How can we implement emergent How can we implement emergent computational cognitive architectures?computational cognitive architectures?

• CodeletsCodelets– Are like the ants: subcognitive processes working in Are like the ants: subcognitive processes working in

parallel, sometimes creating order, sometimes parallel, sometimes creating order, sometimes creating confusion;creating confusion;

– They are myopic and selfish;They are myopic and selfish;– They communicate by virtue of changing a They communicate by virtue of changing a

representation;representation;– There is no central commander.There is no central commander.

• CoderackCoderack– Is where the codelets wait before being triggered.Is where the codelets wait before being triggered.

• TemperatureTemperature– Is a measure of “confusion”.Is a measure of “confusion”.

PrimingPriming

Priming, #1Priming, #1Two Dutch researchers asked subjects to either (A) think and Two Dutch researchers asked subjects to either (A) think and

write down what it would be like to be a write down what it would be like to be a Ph.D. professorPh.D. professor; ; or (B) think and write down what it would be like to be or (B) think and write down what it would be like to be a a soccer hooligansoccer hooligan..

Afterwards, subjects had to respond to hard questions from Afterwards, subjects had to respond to hard questions from “Trivial Pursuit” [e.g., “Who painted “Trivial Pursuit” [e.g., “Who painted La GuernicaLa Guernica?” a) Dali, ?” a) Dali, b) Miro, c) Picasso, d) Velasquez]:b) Miro, c) Picasso, d) Velasquez]:

(A) PhDs got 55.6% right, while(A) PhDs got 55.6% right, while(B) Hooligans had only 42.6% right(B) Hooligans had only 42.6% right

This just might be the difference between success and failure.This just might be the difference between success and failure.

Gladwell, Gladwell, Blink, p.56Blink, p.56

Automatic effects on Behavior(Dijksterhuis & Van Knippenberg, 1998)

perc

ent c

orre

ct

perc

ent c

orre

ct

Priming #2Priming #2

John Bargh’s experiments with scrambled John Bargh’s experiments with scrambled phrases:phrases:

great is elders Florida a outlet for retiredgreat is elders Florida a outlet for retired

……how many seconds do people use when how many seconds do people use when leaving?leaving?

Brown’s statementBrown’s statement

““Our tendency to think that we’re not Our tendency to think that we’re not predictable is probably one of our most predictable is probably one of our most predictable traits”predictable traits”

How can priming be implemented on a How can priming be implemented on a computational model? computational model?

– SlipnetSlipnet– Active symbols assuming controlActive symbols assuming control

Active conceptsActive concepts

"a machine that can pass the Turing test "a machine that can pass the Turing test may well add as slowly as you or I do, and may well add as slowly as you or I do, and for similar reasons. for similar reasons.


““It will represent the number 2 not just by the It will represent the number 2 not just by the two bits "10", but as a full-fledged two bits "10", but as a full-fledged concept concept the way we do, replete with associations the way we do, replete with associations such as its homonyms 'too' and 'to', to the such as its homonyms 'too' and 'to', to the words "couple" and "deuce", a host of words "couple" and "deuce", a host of mental images such as dots on dominos, mental images such as dots on dominos, the shape of the numeral '2', the notions of the shape of the numeral '2', the notions of alternations, evenness, oddness, and on alternations, evenness, oddness, and on and on... and on...


““with all this extra baggage to carry around, with all this extra baggage to carry around, an intelligent program will become quite an intelligent program will become quite slothful in its adding." slothful in its adding."

So how can priming be implemented on a So how can priming be implemented on a computational model? computational model?

– Slipnet: a network of concepts and their Slipnet: a network of concepts and their associationsassociations

– Active concepts assume control of the Active concepts assume control of the system, triggering codelets to handle those system, triggering codelets to handle those expectationsexpectations

Activation spreadingActivation spreading

2

twotoo

couple

pair

even

prime

“, also”very

Hofstadter’s Slipnet


• Drive the system’s processing, triggering Drive the system’s processing, triggering codelets to handle what’s going oncodelets to handle what’s going on

• Create expectations of what’s about to Create expectations of what’s about to happenhappen

• They are NOT binary, on-off, but have They are NOT binary, on-off, but have varying degrees in intensityvarying degrees in intensity

““A bat and a ball cost A bat and a ball cost $1.10. The bat costs $1.10. The bat costs $1.00 more than the ball. $1.00 more than the ball. How much does the ball How much does the ball cost?”cost?”

““A bat and a ball cost 1.10. The bat costs A bat and a ball cost 1.10. The bat costs 1.00 more than the ball. How much 1.00 more than the ball. How much does the ball cost?”does the ball cost?”

Journal of Economic Perspectives?Journal of Economic Perspectives?American Economic Review?American Economic Review?American Psychologist?American Psychologist?Nobel lecture?Nobel lecture?

SummarySummary

The mind is the emergent fruit of subcognitive The mind is the emergent fruit of subcognitive processesprocesses– Myopic; selfish; Myopic; selfish; – CodeletsCodelets are like ants; are like ants;

A concept that is activated, however subtle, exerts A concept that is activated, however subtle, exerts great pressure on one’s thoughts and behaviorgreat pressure on one’s thoughts and behavior– The Slipnet: a network of concepts and their The Slipnet: a network of concepts and their

associationsassociations– Each concept has an activation level and spreads Each concept has an activation level and spreads

activation to neighboring conceptsactivation to neighboring concepts

(Slideshare Version) 2. Emergence, Priming, And Understanding

Spiritual

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