This is why I like to ask questions of PEOPLE: because when you get conflicting answers, you have somewhere to go to try and resolve the conflict.
So I have three different definitions of a manifold: 1. A patchwork made of many patches 2. The structure of a manifold is encoded by a collection of charts that form an atlas. 3. a "function" that violates the usual function rule that there can be only y value for each x value. (or do I have that backwards). I can map 1 or 2 on to one another, but not three. i think 3. is the most like meaning that Holt has in mind because I think he thinks of consciousness as analogous to a mathematical formula that generates outputs (responses) from inputs(environments). Thanks, everybody. Nick Nicholas S. Thompson Emeritus Professor of Psychology and Ethology, Clark University ([email protected]) http://home.earthlink.net/~nickthompson/naturaldesigns/ > [Original Message] > From: Jochen Fromm <[email protected]> > To: The Friday Morning Applied Complexity Coffee Group <[email protected]> > Date: 8/4/2009 6:31:57 PM > Subject: Re: [FRIAM] "manifold" in mathematics > > A manifold can be described as a > complex patchwork made of many patches. > If we try to describe self-consciousness > as a manifold then we get > > - the patch of a strange loop > associated with insight in confusion > (according to Douglas Hofstadter) > > - the patch of an imaginary > "center of narrative gravity" > (according to Daniel Dennett) > > - the patch of the theater of consciousness > which represents the audience itself > (according to Bernard J. Baars) > > have I missed an important patch ? > > -J. > > ============================================================ > FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv > Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College > lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org ============================================================ FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org
