-------- Original Message -------- Subject: Fw: Feedforward II and Anticipation Date: Wed, 12 Feb 2014 12:20:01 +0100 From: Joseph Brenner <joe.bren...@bluewin.ch> Reply-To: Joseph Brenner <joe.bren...@bluewin.ch> To: Pedro C. Marijuan <pcmarijuan.i...@aragon.es>
Dear FISers, This subject was introduced late last year by Bob Logan with reference to his draft paper entitled "Feedforward, I. A. Richards, Cybernetics and Marshall McLuhan". I feel feedforward deserves more then the limited discussion it received because it embodies, rather visibly, dualistic process aspects of both information transfer/communication and the distinctly human cognitive process of anticipation. First, just three points about feedforward to remind ourselves of its characteristics: 1. Feedforward is anticipatory control, the reciprocal of feedback. 2. Feedforward transfers context as well as content. 3. Both feedforward and feedback are 'circular'. Second, I make the claim, for discussion purposes, that my logic of energy, Logic in Reality (LIR), provides a somewhat more rigorous basis for discussion and clarification of the dialectics of feedforward, better, of feedforward and feedback. This means that in all complex biological/living systems, feedforward is always accompanied by feedback. In particular, LIR replaces the unworkable concept of circularity by saw-tooth or spiral evolution. Third, it provides interpretations for McLuhan's concept of probes for studying media, quoted by Bob: 1. Figure/ground: partial simultaneous instantiation of the elements of figure/ground dichotomies. LIR supports Deacon's view here. 2. Meaning determined by context plus experience. 3. A basis for reversal of standard cause effect; effects as a form for feedforward leading to new causes. My vision of feedforward and feedback is thus as non-separable attributes of living biological and cognitive systems, one or the other of the above dynamically interacting pairs predominantly actualized or potentialized as the case may be, alternately and reciprocally. In LIR, the potentialities of a process are available to consciousness, only more vaguely than what is usually referred to as 'knowledge'. The experience of potentialities is to all intents and purposes equivalent to anticipation of them. I have analyzed elsewhere the approach to anticipation of Daniel Dubois, with whom Loet has also worked, referring to Robert Rosen. I found I could differentiate between his and my perspective as follows: - Dubois: anticipation is the potential future value of a system's variables - LIR: anticipation is the current potential value of a system's variables In conclusion, and in anticipation (;-) of Loet's constructive comments, I re-emphasize that as far as I am concerned, both analytical and energetic perspectives are necessary for an adequate picture of feedforward outside purely electro-mechanical control systems. I look forward to further discussion of the issues just touched upon above. Best wishes, Joseph -- ------------------------------------------------- Pedro C. Marijuán Grupo de Bioinformación / Bioinformation Group Instituto Aragonés de Ciencias de la Salud Centro de Investigación Biomédica de Aragón (CIBA) Avda. San Juan Bosco, 13, planta X 50009 Zaragoza, Spain Tfno. +34 976 71 3526 (& 6818) pcmarijuan.i...@aragon.es http://sites.google.com/site/pedrocmarijuan/ ------------------------------------------------- _______________________________________________ fis mailing list fis@listas.unizar.es https://webmail.unizar.es/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/fis
