"Thus, the second-order system acts, so to speak, by specifying for the first-or
der system the kind of sensation it is to seek; the first-order system
adjusts its output until its input-signals match as closely as
possible, in the given environment, the "example" given by the
reference-signal, thus (quite incidentally) producing environmental
effects which an external observer could see."
Is the _kind_ of "sensation" that the system "seeks" specified by the
system's inp
ut function or its reference signal?
My take on this is that first of all you have to be clear about which system
you are referring to.
Thus, the kind of sensation the first-order system "seeks" is specified by
the second-order system (the one immediately above). That specification
from the second-order system is the reference signal for the first-order
system and it specifies what is being sought. What the first-order system
senses or perceives is sensed or perceived by way of its input function,
which doesn't "seek" anything, it simply reports "what is."
I think that's the way it works but I'll happily defer to the experts.
Fred Nickols
From: MK [mailto:perceptualposts@gmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, July 21, 2016 5:57 AM
To: csgnet@lists.illinois.edu
Subject: Powers et al., 1960: GFToHB I - "the kind of sensation it is to
seek"
[From MK (2016.07.21.1155 CET)]
Powers et al. on pg. 11 in GFToHB Part I --
"Thus, the second-order system acts, so to speak, by specifying for the
first-
or der system the kind of sensation it is to seek; the first-order system
adjusts its output until its input-signals match as closely as possible,
in the
given environment, the "example" given by the reference-signal, thus
(quite
···
-----Original Message-----
incidentally) producing environmental effects which an external observer
could see."
Is the _kind_ of "sensation" that the system "seeks" specified by the
system's inp ut function or its reference signal?
MK: Is the kind of “sensation” that the system “seeks” specified by the
system’s input function or its reference signal?
RM: The “so to speak” phrase recognizes the difficulty of describing a model with words. In the context of the paragraph (and with an existing understanding of how the control hierarchy works) I would say that “kind of perception” refers here to the magnitude to the reference signals sent from second to first order systems. So if the sensation controlled by the first order system is “redness”, the “kind of perception” specified by the second order system is the “degree of redness” to be experienced.
RM: But the input function can also be said to define (rather than specify) the kind of sensation perceived by the first order system, where “kind” now refers to the types of sensation variable produced by the input function, like different colors or sounds or colors versus sounds, for that matter.
Best
Rick
Richard S. Marken
“The childhood of the human race is far from over. We
have a long way to go before most people will understand that what they do for
others is just as important to their well-being as what they do for
themselves.” – William T. Powers
Subject: Powers et al., 1960: GFToHB I - "the kind of sensation it is to
seek"
[From MK (2016.07.21.1155 CET)]
Powers et al. on pg. 11 in GFToHB Part I –
"Thus, the second-order system acts, so to speak, by specifying for the
first-
or der system the kind of sensation it is to seek; the first-order system
adjusts its output until its input-signals match as closely as possible,
in the
given environment, the “example” given by the reference-signal, thus
(quite
incidentally) producing environmental effects which an external observer
could see."
Is the kind of “sensation” that the system “seeks” specified by the
system’s inp ut function or its reference signal?
–
Richard S. Marken
“The childhood of the human race is far from over. We
have a long way to go before most people will understand that what they do for
others is just as important to their well-being as what they do for
themselves.” – William T. Powers