Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.08 10/3/83; site psuvax.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!akgua!sb1!sb6!bpa!burdvax!psuvax!hess From: hess@psuvax.UUCP Newsgroups: net.ai Subject: Re: brain, a parallel processor ? Message-ID: <435@psuvax.UUCP> Date: Wed, 1-Feb-84 01:21:36 EST Article-I.D.: psuvax.435 Posted: Wed Feb 1 01:21:36 1984 Date-Received: Wed, 8-Feb-84 01:38:59 EST References: <16185@sri-arpa.UUCP> Organization: Pennsylvania State Univ. Lines: 28 I find, upon introspection, that I process in parallel. (the introspection being done at the same time as the other processing, of course :-) A useful question to ask, it seems, is the place of the unconscious in a consideration of parallelism. Also relevant are what cognitive psychologists call "dispositions," which are tendancies of the mind to recognize coherence in its environment. Why are they relevant, you ask? Well, a good question to ponder over is whether dispositions operate at the conscious level, the subconscious level, or both. In addition, since imagination is the interface between conscious and unconscious, almost any mental activity I can imagine engaging in involves parallel processing. (That mental activity and the imagining happening simultaneously, you understand :-) Probably the best example I can come up with to make my point occurs during the reading of poetry. Whenever I think back on my thoughts, feelings, and emotions while reading any good poetry (or listening to good music, or enjoying any art form, for that matter), I cannot conceive of any time-sharing or serial processing scheme that would allow for the same subjective experiences. -- (If you see the Buddha on the road, kill him) Nathan Hess uucp: {allegra, burdvax, ihnp4}!psuvax!hess Bitnet: {allegra, burdvax, ihnp4}!psuvax!NRH@PSUVM.BITNET