Subject: Norbert Wiener, second-order cybernetics, and auditory psychophysics From: Iftikhar Nizami <nizamii2@xxxxxxxx> Date: Thu, 19 Dec 2013 18:14:07 -0800 List-Archive:<http://lists.mcgill.ca/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=AUDITORY>--1381649169-543709872-1387505647=:15028 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Dear AuditoryList subscribers =E2=80=93 as we approach the year 2014, the 5= 0th anniversary of the death of Norbert Wiener, please permit me a little = =E2=80=9Chorn-blowing=E2=80=9D. This note is to let any interested parties = know about a recent paper that relates auditory psychophysics (among others= ) to =E2=80=9Csecond-order=E2=80=9D cybernetics:=0A=C2=A0=0A=E2=80=9CParadi= gm versus praxis: why psychology =E2=80=98absolute identification=E2=80=99 = experiments do not reveal sensory processes=E2=80=9D (L. Nizami). This pape= r appears in the journal Kybernetes, (Vol 42 No 9/10, 2013, 1447-1456; doi = 10.1108/K-09-2012-0059).=0A=C2=A0=0AThe journal Kybernetes (Greek for =E2= =80=9Csteering=E2=80=9D or =E2=80=9Cgovernorship=E2=80=9D) is not found in = some science or medicine libraries, as its content often includes education= or business topics. Hence I will make a pdf of the paper available to anyo= ne who expresses interest in it, and who privately contacts me by email bec= ause they cannot find the paper easily.=0A=C2=A0=0AI should introduce the p= aper in order to provide context, as follows briefly. It is the fourth in a= series in which each paper proves a different point. The first paper also = appeared in a =E2=80=9Cboutique journal=E2=80=9D, one whose own editors adm= it that it can be hard to find. That paper is=0A=C2=A0=0ANizami, L. (2010),= =E2=80=9CInterpretation of absolute judgments using information theory: ch= annel capacity or memory capacity?=E2=80=9D, Cybernetics and Human Knowing,= Vol. 17 Nos. 1-2, pp. 111-155=0A=C2=A0=0Aand is also available from me on = request. It shows that =E2=80=9Cabsolute identification=E2=80=9D involves n= umerous idiosyncracies that are not explainable within Shannon Information = Theory, but which altogether suggest that the Garner-Hake measure of =E2=80= =9Cinformation transmitted=E2=80=9D and its alleged asymptote, the channel = capacity, must perforce be measures of memory capacity. However, the mechan= ism whereby memory intrudes into absolute judgments was not identified at t= hat point. A further paper,=0A=C2=A0=0ANizami, L. (2011a), =E2=80=9CMemory = model of information transmitted in absolute judgment=E2=80=9D, Kybernetes,= Vol. 40 Nos. 1-2, pp. 80-109=0A=C2=A0=0Awas then written, which qualitativ= ely (but not quantitatively) integrated memory into absolute judgments thro= ugh a new, math-free model that predicted how absolute identifications chan= ge with the number of judged stimuli. In particular, the model predicted th= at the distributions of subjects=E2=80=99 absolute judgments would become s= ystematically skewed, a prediction confirmed by contemporary data of Profes= sors Dana Murphy and Bruce A Schneider and.their co-authors.=0A=C2=A0=0AAlt= ogether, then, Nizami (2010) and Nizami (2011a) presented mounting evidence= that the Garner-Hake measure was merely a needlessly convoluted memory mea= sure. Nonetheless, that measure continues to be used, perhaps encouraged by= ongoing attempts to legitimize the Garner-Hake approach by incorporating i= ts ideas into larger theories of perception. A sterling example is the =E2= =80=9CEntropy Theory of Perception=E2=80=9D of K.H. Norwich and co-authors,= dating in print from 1975. In response, the third paper in the present ser= ies was written, Nizami (2011b):=0A=C2=A0=0ANizami, L. (2011b), =E2=80=9CNo= rwich=E2=80=99s Entropy Theory: how not to go from abstract to actual=E2=80= =9D, Kybernetes, Vol. 40 Nos. 7-8, pp. 1102-1118.=0A=C2=A0=0AThe Entropy Th= eory=E2=80=99s interpretation proved to be utterly ambiguous. This paper, a= lso, is available on request.=0A=C2=A0=0ANeither Nizami (2010) nor Nizami (= 2011a) had explained precisely how the Garner-Hake measure becomes memory-l= imited. Nizami (2013) fills that gap, and also answers the crucial underlyi= ng question of why: namely, that Garner and Hake (1951) and their successor= s did not meaningfully identify the elements of the Shannon =E2=80=9Cgenera= l communication system=E2=80=9D. In particular, there was a failure to real= ize the observer=E2=80=99s presence and possible actions. This takes us wel= l into =E2=80=9Csecond-order cybernetics=E2=80=9D as we approach the year 2= 014, the 50th anniversary of the death of Norbert Wiener. --1381649169-543709872-1387505647=:15028 Content-Type: text/html; charset=utf-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <html><body><div style=3D"color:#000; background-color:#fff; font-family:ti= mes new roman, new york, times, serif;font-size:12pt"><div style=3D"TEXT-AL= IGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; RIGHT: auto" class=3DMsoNormal>Dear Audi= toryList subscribers =E2=80=93 as we approach the year 2014, the 50<SUP sty= le=3D"RIGHT: auto">th</SUP> anniversary of the death of Norbert Wiener, ple= ase permit me a little =E2=80=9Chorn-blowing=E2=80=9D. This note is to let = any interested parties know about a recent paper that relates auditory psyc= hophysics (among others) to =E2=80=9Csecond-order=E2=80=9D cybernetics:</di= v> <div style=3D"TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=3DMsoNormal><= ?xml:namespace prefix =3D o ns =3D "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office= " /><o:p> </o:p></div> <div style=3D"TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; RIGHT: auto" class= =3DMsoNormal>=E2=80=9CParadigm versus praxis: why psychology =E2=80=98absol= ute identification=E2=80=99 experiments do not reveal sensory processes=E2= =80=9D (L. Nizami)<VAR id=3Dyui-ie-cursor></VAR>. This paper appears in the= journal Kybernetes, (Vol 42 No 9/10, 2013, 1447-1456; doi 10.1108/K-09-201= 2-0059).</div> <div style=3D"TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=3DMsoNormal><= o:p> </o:p></div> <div style=3D"TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=3DMsoNormal>T= he journal <I style=3D"mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Kybernetes</I> (Greek f= or =E2=80=9Csteering=E2=80=9D or =E2=80=9Cgovernorship=E2=80=9D) is not fou= nd in some science or medicine libraries, as its content often includes edu= cation or business topics. Hence I will make a pdf of the paper available t= o anyone who expresses interest in it, and who privately contacts me by ema= il because they cannot find the paper easily.</div> <div style=3D"TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=3DMsoNormal><= o:p> </o:p></div> <div style=3D"TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=3DMsoNormal>I= should introduce the paper in order to provide context, as follows briefly= . It is the fourth in a series in which each paper proves a different point= . The first paper also appeared in a =E2=80=9Cboutique journal=E2=80=9D, on= e whose own editors admit that it can be hard to find. That paper is</div> <div style=3D"TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=3DMsoNormal><= o:p> </o:p></div> <div style=3D"TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; RIGHT: auto" class= =3DMsoNormal>Nizami, L. (2010), =E2=80=9CInterpretation of absolute judgmen= ts using information theory: channel capacity or memory capacity?=E2=80=9D,= <I style=3D"mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Cybernetics and Human Knowing</I>= , Vol. 17 Nos. 1-2, pp. 111-155</div> <div style=3D"TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=3DMsoNormal><= o:p> </o:p></div> <div style=3D"TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=3DMsoNormal>a= nd is also available from me on request. It shows that =E2=80=9Cabsolute id= entification=E2=80=9D involves numerous idiosyncracies that are not explain= able within Shannon Information Theory, but which altogether suggest that t= he Garner-Hake measure of =E2=80=9Cinformation transmitted=E2=80=9D and its= alleged asymptote, the channel capacity, must perforce be measures of <I s= tyle=3D"mso-bidi-font-style: normal">memory</I> capacity. However, the mech= anism whereby memory intrudes into absolute judgments was not identified at= that point. A further paper,</div> <div style=3D"TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=3DMsoNormal><= o:p> </o:p></div> <div style=3D"TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=3DMsoNormal>N= izami, L. (2011a), =E2=80=9CMemory model of information transmitted in abso= lute judgment=E2=80=9D, <I style=3D"mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Kybernetes= </I>, Vol. 40 Nos. 1-2, pp. 80-109</div> <div style=3D"TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=3DMsoNormal><= o:p> </o:p></div> <div style=3D"TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=3DMsoNormal>w= as then written, which qualitatively (but not quantitatively) integrated me= mory into absolute judgments through a new, math-free model that predicted = how absolute identifications change with the number of judged stimuli. In p= articular, the model predicted that the distributions of subjects=E2=80=99 = absolute judgments would become systematically skewed, a prediction confirm= ed by contemporary data of Professors Dana Murphy and Bruce A Schneider and= .their co-authors.</div> <div style=3D"TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=3DMsoNormal><= o:p> </o:p></div> <div style=3D"TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=3DMsoNormal>A= ltogether, then, Nizami (2010) and Nizami (2011a) presented mounting eviden= ce that the Garner-Hake measure was merely a needlessly convoluted memory m= easure. Nonetheless, that measure continues to be used, perhaps encouraged = by ongoing attempts to legitimize the Garner-Hake approach by incorporating= its ideas into larger theories of perception. A sterling example is the = =E2=80=9CEntropy Theory of Perception=E2=80=9D of K.H. Norwich and co-autho= rs, dating in print from 1975. In response, the third paper in the present = series was written, Nizami (2011b):</div> <div style=3D"TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=3DMsoNormal><= o:p> </o:p></div> <div style=3D"TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=3DMsoNormal>N= izami, L. (2011b), =E2=80=9C<?xml:namespace prefix =3D st1 ns =3D "urn:sche= mas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:City><st1:place>Norwich</st1:pla= ce></st1:City>=E2=80=99s Entropy Theory: how not to go from abstract to act= ual=E2=80=9D, <I style=3D"mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Kybernetes</I>, Vol.= 40 Nos. 7-8, pp. 1102-1118.<o:p></o:p></div> <div style=3D"TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=3DMsoNormal><= o:p> </o:p></div> <div style=3D"TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=3DMsoNormal>T= he Entropy Theory=E2=80=99s interpretation proved to be utterly ambiguous. = This paper, also, is available on request.<o:p></o:p></div> <div style=3D"TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=3DMsoNormal><= o:p> </o:p></div> <div style=3D"TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; RIGHT: auto" class= =3DMsoNormal>Neither Nizami (2010) nor Nizami (2011a) had explained precise= ly how the Garner-Hake measure becomes memory-limited. Nizami (2013) fills = that gap, and also answers the crucial underlying question of <I style=3D"R= IGHT: auto; mso-bidi-font-style: normal">why</I>: namely, that Garner and H= ake (1951) and their successors did not meaningfully identify the elements = of the <st1:place>Shannon</st1:place> =E2=80=9Cgeneral communication system= =E2=80=9D. In particular, there was a failure to realize the <I style=3D"ms= o-bidi-font-style: normal">observer</I>=E2=80=99s presence and possible act= ions. This takes us well into =E2=80=9Csecond-order cybernetics=E2=80=9D as= we approach the year 2014, the 50<SUP>th</SUP> anniversary of the death of= Norbert Wiener. </div> <div style=3D"RIGHT: auto"></div></div></body></html> --1381649169-543709872-1387505647=:15028--