Re: How many differences, categories?

From: Just Playing (gms2004_at_lycos.com)
Date: 03/25/05 

Date: 25 Mar 2005 13:24:29 -0800

Edgar Svendsen wrote:
> "Just Playing" <gms2004@lycos.com> wrote in message
> news:1111757787.291785.167600@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
> > If through categorization our brain analyzes the information
perceived
> > how many differences, categories are too many before it has to pack
> > them together?
> > IMO the best way is to find the relationship between the
categories,
> > find the function, equation that allows to pack and unpack them
without
> > losing any differences or categories and this is what I consider as
> > intelligence.
> > OTOH if the amount of information is overwhelming or there is no
easily
> > distinguishable relationship between the categories, they will be
> > packed together using other functions or inequations. The concepts
> > created this way will not allow a bijective mapping or a true
picture
> > of the information perceived and will distort it.
> > My question is how much information is overwhelming, how many
> > categories or differences are too many before our brain combines
> > together unrelated categories ?

I will try to use an example to make myself clear.
Let's say that I gave to handcarry a lot of different
objects(categories) from one place to another in such a way that they
will not belost or changed during the transport.
If I have an unlimited amount of time I can handcarry one or two
objects (2 hands) per trip, but if I have a time limitation I will have
to pack the objects and carry more of them together.
In this case I will have to create a container and make sure that the
different objects can be packed together into it, as they may not be
compatible due to their physical characteristcs (differences)as size,
weight, solid, liquid, etc.
Now I can look at this container as the equivalent of an abstract,
mental concept and just as in the case of the physical objects I have
to make sure that the categories packed in this concept are compatible.
If I can find a way to pack all the objects and handcarry them in the
time allowed without losing or damaging them during the transport I can
say that I have created a bijective mapping or I have created a true
picture of the original situation.
The same thing can be said if I have to describe verbally a situation.
I have to find the abstract concepts in order to pack all the perceived
categories or differences in order to create a bijective mapping or a
true picture of the original situation.
So just like in the case of the physical objects where I have to make
sure that they are compatible to be packed into a container, I have to
do the same when I create mental, abstract concepts.
JP

>
> > JP
> >
> Isn't this a function of the time spent? If I perceive a forest,
there are
> too many trees to categorize them all in a single glance. But if I
rent a
> cabin and walk in the forest every day for a year or two I can get to
know
> every tree in the neighborhood individually. What I know after the
year or
> two was overwhelming at that first look.
>
> Do you mean how many different categories can a man learn in a
lifetime? I
> don't have a number but it's a lot.
>
> Ed

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