On Wed, 12 May 1999, John W. Kulig wrote:
> Depends on definition of sound. We assume the _physical_ dimensions of the
> sound (amplitude and wavelength) exist. If not, we climb a very bizarre
> philosophical tree. But the corresponding _psychological_ dimensions of
> loudness and pitch cannot, since there is no listener.
> You might also make a distinction between the distal stimulus (the actual
> tree) and the proximal stimulus (the "tree" as it impinges the sensory organs
> and gets translated into the ensemble of neural impulses that define our
> experience of the tree).
> Is this close to the answer you gave the student?
>
I told the student that I would submit this to TIPS and that I would
get back to him on this one.
Whereas a distinction can be made between a distal and proximal
stimulus,it would seem from the visual sensory-cognitive aspect that
the mental event (iconic) would be the real proximal stimulus.
Michael Sylvester
Daytona Beach,Florida
