From: "Chris Lofting" <ddiamond@ozemail.com.au>
To: <memetics@mmu.ac.uk>
Subject: Differentiation/Merging of the senses
Date: Fri, 3 Sep 1999 04:14:33 +1000
>Derek:
>I am sceptical concerning synaesthesia.
OK.. how much reading have you done on it? Are you aware of the two
approaches, i.e. synaesthesia at the start followed by differentation
followed by re-integration and abstraction in the form of language? (recall
my comments on words such as 'part' that is an entanglement of the meaning
for 'object' and the meaning for 'relationship'?)
Sensory data can be interpreted using the wave metaphor where all senses
have harmonics in the form of frequency/wavelength data. Our emotions enable
us to combine the data from different senses and to make analogies across
senses. Thus there can be a synthesis of sensory data, a merging of the
senses, combined with an abstraction into the 'object/relationship'
distinctions.
The interdigitations originally discovered by Goldman-Rakic allows for the
thread-carpet interpretation where the interdigitations manifest weaving and
from that comes patterns of 'meaning' that encapsulate all sensory data into
abstract terms which we express using language, symbols etc.
These patterns are patterns of emotion and communication acts to get a
pattern resonating and so eliciting a sense of meaning.
Tim and I have thrown enough references at each other for you to 'grok' the
concept - or have you already gone through these and rejected the idea? ;-)
Chris.
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