Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id OAA03188 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Sun, 15 Apr 2001 14:08:42 +0100 Message-ID: <0acc01c0c5ac$8c8ef600$235c2a42@jrmolloy> From: "J. R. Molloy" <jr@shasta.com> To: <memetics@mmu.ac.uk> References: <F176z1enAqpfkNsjUHQ00005fab@hotmail.com> <00ba01c0c373$33e0cdc0$5eaefea9@rcn.com> <016d01c0c375$7d878fc0$235c2a42@jrmolloy> <20010412195116.C1393@reborntechnology.co.uk> <038f01c0c3a4$16fb6180$235c2a42@jrmolloy> <20010413095450.A1309@reborntechnology.co.uk> <07c301c0c45c$f4ca2e20$235c2a42@jrmolloy> <3AD78217.BD6BF776@pacbell.net> Subject: Re: Analog Computers Date: Sun, 15 Apr 2001 06:04:01 -0700 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.50.4133.2400 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.50.4133.2400 Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
From: "Bill Spight" <bspight@pacbell.net>
> Here is an analog computer for solving a maze: a wooden model of the
> maze, with a stoppered hole at the goal, and the entrance closed off. To
> solve the maze, fill the model with water, float a piece of paper at the
> entrance and take out the stopper at the goal, allowing the water to
> drain. The path followed by the paper is the solution.
The path followed by the paper must also be followed by the observer (the one
that computes the results), who is the real computer in this scenario.
> I guess you are too young to remember when computers had "AC" at the end
> of their names. "AC" stood for "analog computer". They were not
> imaginary devices. ;-)
We used to call acid indigestion "heart burn" (and still do), but that doesn't
mean it has anything to do with the heart (or with combustion). Before it was
understood that all metrics are digital, it made sense to use the analog
hypothesis. The devices were not imaginary, but their "analog" functionality
definitely was. For another example, people used to refer to "phlogiston" as
the principle of fire. The fact that phlogiston turns out to have been
imaginary doesn't mean that fire is imaginary.
τΏτ
--J. R.
Useless hypotheses:
consciousness, phlogiston, philosophy, vitalism, mind, free will, qualia,
analog computing, cultural relativism
Everything that can happen has already happened, not just once,
but an infinite number of times, and will continue to do so forever.
(Everything that can happen = more than anyone can imagine.)
===============================================================
This was distributed via the memetics list associated with the
Journal of Memetics - Evolutionary Models of Information Transmission
For information about the journal and the list (e.g. unsubscribing)
see: http://www.cpm.mmu.ac.uk/jom-emit
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Sun Apr 15 2001 - 14:11:53 BST