JAY@USC-ECLC@sri-unix.UUCP (09/26/83)
From: Jay <JAY@USC-ECLC>
Certain representaions of calculations lead to easy
detection of looping. Consider the function...
f(x) = x
This could lead to ...
f(f(x)) = x
Or to ...
f(f(f(f( ... )))) = x
But why bother! Or for another example, consider the life blinker..
+
+ + + becomes + becomes + + + becomes (etc.)
+
Why bother calculateing all the generations for this arangement? The
same information lies in ...
for any integer i +
Blinker(2i) = + + + and Blinker(2i+1) = +
+
There really is no halting problem, or infinite looping. The
information for the blinker need not be fully decoded, it can be just
the above "formulas". So humans could choses a representation of
circular or "infinite looping" ideas, so that the circularity is
expresed in a finite number of bits.
As for the orders of learning; Learning(1) is a behavior. That is
modifying behaivor is a behavior. It can be observed in schools,
concentration camps, or even in the laboratory. So learning(2) is
modifying a certain behavior, and thus nothing more (in one view)
than learning(1). Indeed it is just learning(1) applied to itself!
So learning(i) is just
i
(the way an organism modifies) its behavior
But since behavior is just the way an organism modifies the
enviroment,
i+1
Learning(i) = (the way an organism modifies) the enviroment.
and learning(0) is just behavior. So depending on your view, there
are either an infinite number of ways to learn, or there are an
infinite number of organisms (most of whose enviroments are just other
organisms).
j'