Thesis by David Pierre Leibovitz
ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, Feb 15, 2013
The Emergic Cognitive Model (ECM) is a unified computational model of visual filling-in based on ... more The Emergic Cognitive Model (ECM) is a unified computational model of visual filling-in based on the Emergic Network architecture. The Emergic Network was designed to help realize systems undergoing continuous change. In this thesis, eight different filling-in phenomena are demonstrated under a regime of continuous eye movement (and under static eye conditions as well).
ECM indirectly demonstrates the power of unification inherent with Emergic Networks when cognition is decomposed according to finer-grained functions supporting change. These can interact to raise additional emergent behaviours via cognitive re-use, hence the Emergic prefix throughout. Nevertheless, the model is robust and parameter free. Differential re-use occurs in the nature of model interaction with a particular testing paradigm.
ECM has a novel decomposition due to the requirements of handling motion and of supporting unified modelling via finer functional grains. The breadth of phenomenal behaviour covered is largely to lend credence to our novel decomposition.
The Emergic Network architecture is a hybrid between classical connectionism and classical computationalism that facilitates the construction of unified cognitive models. It helps cutting up of functionalism into finer-grains distributed over space (by harnessing massive recurrence) and over time (by harnessing continuous change), yet simplifies by using standard computer code to focus on the interaction of information flows. Thus while the structure of the network looks neurocentric, the dynamics are best understood in flowcentric terms. Surprisingly, dynamic system analysis (as usually understood) is not involved. An Emergic Network is engineered much like straightforward software or hardware systems that deal with continuously varying inputs. Ultimately, this thesis addresses the problem of reduction and induction over complex systems, and the Emergic Network architecture is merely a tool to assist in this epistemic endeavour.
ECM is strictly a sensory model and apart from perception, yet it is informed by phenomenology. It addresses the attribution problem of how much of a phenomenon is best explained at a sensory level of analysis, rather than at a perceptual one. As the causal information flows are stable under eye movement, we hypothesize that they are the locus of consciousness, howsoever it is ultimately realized.
This is supplemental material for the eight cognitive models and forty two tests of a thesis name... more This is supplemental material for the eight cognitive models and forty two tests of a thesis named “A Unified Cognitive Model of Visual Filling-In Based on an Emergic Network Architecture”. This supplement contains detailed information about computational test subjects, stimuli, and results. The thesis contains extracts from the information contained herein. The models and tests are listed in the same order as in the thesis and with the same chapter/appendix identifiers.
For both computational subject and stimuli details, the appropriate parameter files are shown. These are fully described within the Emergic Simulation System portion of the thesis. The test results are available online in an animated format (Leibovitz, 2012a) that is ideal for exhibiting qualitative behaviour. It is an extremely compact format (one web page for each of the eight computational models), and has a few additional test results. It is available at
http://emergic.upwize.com/?page_id=26
This supplement merely extracts the animated results into a frame-by-frame account with precise timing information suitable for quantitative analysis and print publication. The thesis contains extracts of these frame-by-frame accounts.
The animated results contain an extra Photoreceptor Changes column that is not ordinarily shown in the thesis or supplement as it is not yet part of our cognitive theory. It demonstrates temporal edge detection and is merely the absolute difference in a photoreceptor’s activation between two time ticks.
Some of these results have been previously introduced (Leibovitz, 2012b; Leibovitz & West, 2012).
A Unified Cognitive Model of Visual Filling-In Based on an Emergic Network Architecture - Animated Test Results
Animated results for the cognitive models within a thesis named "A Unified Cognitive Model of Vis... more Animated results for the cognitive models within a thesis named "A Unified Cognitive Model of Visual Filling-In Based on an Emergic Network Architecture"
Books by David Pierre Leibovitz
Minldent is an interactive mineral identification and mineral data base management program writte... more Minldent is an interactive mineral identification and mineral data base management program written in FORTRAN 77. The data base contains compositional, optical and other parameters describing more than 3700 minerals. The data base management aspect of the program will not be used by the general user. It contains facilities to modify the data base through additions, deletions, etc. The normal usage consists of the following steps:
1. entering data for a mineral to be identified (the unknown) or entering search criteria.
2. identifying the mineral, or matching minerals meeting the search criteria.
3. displaying data for specified, identified or matched minerals.
This manual assumes the reader is already familiar to some extent with Minldent. It contains all the terms that may be explained via the ? / HELP / EXPLAIN commands.
MinIdent is a mineral identification software used in mineralogy. The original Command-line inter... more MinIdent is a mineral identification software used in mineralogy. The original Command-line interface (CLI) program was written in FORTRAN and ran on a mainframe computer. It was later ported to a PC. This manual forms the user’s guide (UG) for the original version. The current version of the MinIdent-Win software has a graphical user interface (GUI) and is available at www.micronex.ca.
Abstracts by David Pierre Leibovitz
Proceedings of the 36th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society (CogSci 2014)
WikiSilo is a tool for theorizing across interdisciplinary fields such as Cognitive Science using... more WikiSilo is a tool for theorizing across interdisciplinary fields such as Cognitive Science using a specific vocabulary and structure. It is designed to show if a particular cognitive theory is complete and coherent at multiple levels of discourse, and commensurable with and relevant to a wider domain of cognition. WikiSilo is also a minimalist theory and methodology about effectively doing science, and is therefore a form of epistemizing. WikiSilo theory provides for a disciplined exploration of explanatory space via an axiomatic hierarchy of epistemizing and ontologizing postulates. The WikiSilo tool, via a software version control system, supports the long term goal of working toward coherent and unified theories. More generally, WikiSilo facilitates self-organization leading to academic silos with well-defined conceptual frameworks that are vertically related as compared to poorly related ad-hoc academic fiefdoms.
Modelling visual processing via emergence
A model of low level visual processing is outlined along with a demonstration of the numerous phe... more A model of low level visual processing is outlined along with a demonstration of the numerous phenomena it unifies. Specifically - filling in, visual memory, image stability, color homogeneity, blind spot, temporal edge detection, eye blink - phenomena that would ordinarily be investigated under different sub fields and with disparate models. The model is based on the interaction between recurrence and eye motion. The model is built using the Emergic Network system, which is a new cognitive modeling system created for this project and others like it. Emergic Networks facilitate the exploration of how recurrent and distributed functions produce functional emergent effects. I will present an overview of the Emergic Network System and the simulation results for each phenomena it models.
Program with Abstracts GAC, MAC, CGU-AGC, AMC, UCG: Joint Annual Meeting
MinIdent is an interactive mineral identification and mineral data base management program, now r... more MinIdent is an interactive mineral identification and mineral data base management program, now rewritten in FORTRAN 77. Data have been stored for about 4000 mineral groups, species and varieties. These data include composition, optical properties in transmitted and reflected light, symmetry, unit cell dimensions, densities, Vickers and Mohs hardness, d-values and relative intensities of the 5 strongest X-ray powder-diffraction lines, JCPDS numbers, any polymorphs, occurrences, localities, year first described and sources of the data. However, not all minerals yet have data stored for all these fields.
The program can be used to generate a list of minerals having properties within within the ranges input for an unidentified mineral or can be made to display and rank the twenty most likely identities for an unknown. The program can also be used to tabulate chosen properties of matched minerals, or to tabulate minerals in the data base that have certain specified properties. Alternatively, all analytical and other data stored for a particular mineral can be displayed.
Tests using data for known minerals to simulate unknowns indicate a high degree of reliability given accurate input information, and a surprising success rate even when input data are qualitative in character.
The MinIdent identification and data base management software uses about 400 kbytes of memory and the data base used in mineral identification currently uses less than 4 Mbytes. Running times for typical identification procedures range between about 0.5 and 3.0 seconds of CPU time on the AMDAHL 580/FF mainframe computer on which the program has been developed. The cycle time of this computer is about 23 ns. MinIdent can be accessed globally via data communications networks such as DATAPAC, TELENET and TYMNET.
Application of the MinIdent data base and software are envisaged wherever earth scientists are faced with the task of mineral identification. Such areas of specialization include petrology (igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary), economic geology (ore mineralogy, mineral exploration and mineral beneficiation), geochemistry, meteorites and crystallography.
Abstracts: 28th International Geological Congress, Jul 9, 1989
Proceedings of the 27th International Geological Congress, Aug 4, 1984
Developments in the techniques, theory and practice of microbeam analysis over the last quarter c... more Developments in the techniques, theory and practice of microbeam analysis over the last quarter century have resulted in a situation in which reliable compositional data can now be obtained extremely rapidly and conveniently. However, the interpretation of these data is not always so straightforward or rapid, particularly when the microanalyst is not a fully trained mineralogist or when data are obtained from one of the less common minerals or from one of a group of compositionally similar minerals. Furthermore, certain modern procedures for the automated modal analysis of rocks and other mineral aggregates require that a very large number of identifications be performed – preferably without human intervention. The system described in this paper has been developed in response to such situations.
Papers by David Pierre Leibovitz
Lilac Chaser Illusion and Virtual Eyeballs (talk)
MinIdent – A Data Base for Minerals and a FORTRAN 77 Program for Their Identification – A Reference Manual
Minldent is an interactive mineral identification and mineral data base management program writte... more Minldent is an interactive mineral identification and mineral data base management program written in FORTRAN 77. The data base contains compositional, optical and other parameters describing more than 3700 minerals. The data base management aspect of the program will not be used by the general user. It contains facilities to modify the data base through additions, deletions, etc. The normal usage consists of the following steps: 1. entering data for a mineral to be identified (the unknown) or entering search criteria. 2. identifying the mineral, or matching minerals meeting the search criteria. 3. displaying data for specified, identified or matched minerals. This manual assumes the reader is already familiar to some extent with Minldent. It contains all the terms that may be explained via the ? / HELP / EXPLAIN commands.
Distinctive Serial Recall Effects
The study of word-length effect concentrated mostly on the accuracy of recalling short and long w... more The study of word-length effect concentrated mostly on the accuracy of recalling short and long words in both pure and mixed lists. Previous studies showed that pure long lists were much poorly remembered. Hulme et al. (2004) found that word-length effect could be abolished in mixed lists when the short and long words are alternated. We investigated distinctiveness and found it to be a salient cue for improved correct recall when the list of words has a single distinctive transition. Lists contained three short words following by three long words and vice versa. Surprisingly, in the short-long condition, there was also an improvement in position 3 recall. One of the possible explanations could be the strategic shift of working memory resource.
Minldent - A Mineral Data Base For Earth Scientists
MinIdent is a program written in FORTRAN 77 which enables an interactive mineral identification s... more MinIdent is a program written in FORTRAN 77 which enables an interactive mineral identification search. Data have been stored for about 4000 recognized mineral groups, species, and varieties. These data include composition, optical properties in transmitted and reflected light, symmetry, unit cell dimensions, densities, Vickers and Mohs hardness, d·values and relative intensities of the live strongest x-ray powder-diffraction lines, JCPDS numbers, polymorphs, if any, synonyms, if any, occurrences, localities, year first described, and the sources of the data. At present, some mineral records lack data in some fields; additions continue.
Abnormal Science for Abnormal Perception: A Case for Theoretical Cognitive Science via a Case Study of Narrow Slit Viewing
Anorthoscopic perception is good perception under abnormal viewing conditions. One such scenario ... more Anorthoscopic perception is good perception under abnormal viewing conditions. One such scenario is when a wider view of the world is perceived than can be sensed at any one time when looking through a narrow slit. Thus, narrow slit viewing and aperture viewing are common nicknames for this phenomenon. Somehow, visual information must be integrated across viewpoints and one fundamental issue is whether this occurs at the finer-grained locus of sensation, or the larger-grained locus of perception. This paper supports a fine-grained sensory model (Leibovitz, 2013a). The wider view of abnormal perception will also be used as a metaphor to the unified view of theoretical science as compared to the experimental branch. While analyzing, modeling and theorizing are epistemic activities of both branches, their goals and hence nature will differ. This paper will summarize such differences and introduce theoretical cognitive science via a case study. One surprising difference is that abnormal or holistic analysis requires not only greater epistemic breadth, but must also induce finer ontological grains. An epistemic problem for holistic analysis is in determining the wider scope applicable for the study of a target phenomenon. This is where theory can inform data. In this paper, we use an ontological, fine-grained and unified theory of cognition (Leibovitz, 2013b) to scope out the relevant neurobiological structures and related phenomena that bear on the target phenomenon of anorthoscopic perception. Finally, this paper constitutes the theoretical analysis of alternative theories and phenomenon in support for our own theory of narrow slit viewing (Leibovitz, 2013a). In essence, we exemplify abnormal science over abnormal perception, i.e., of theoretical cognitive science for anorthoscopic perception.
Emergic Approach: Philosophy Applied to Cognition (talk)
Local Measure Reliability vs. Global Concept Validity. Has Cognitive Science Moved Beyond Behaviourism? (Insignificant Progress in Validating Cognitive Constructs p
Uploads
Thesis by David Pierre Leibovitz
ECM indirectly demonstrates the power of unification inherent with Emergic Networks when cognition is decomposed according to finer-grained functions supporting change. These can interact to raise additional emergent behaviours via cognitive re-use, hence the Emergic prefix throughout. Nevertheless, the model is robust and parameter free. Differential re-use occurs in the nature of model interaction with a particular testing paradigm.
ECM has a novel decomposition due to the requirements of handling motion and of supporting unified modelling via finer functional grains. The breadth of phenomenal behaviour covered is largely to lend credence to our novel decomposition.
The Emergic Network architecture is a hybrid between classical connectionism and classical computationalism that facilitates the construction of unified cognitive models. It helps cutting up of functionalism into finer-grains distributed over space (by harnessing massive recurrence) and over time (by harnessing continuous change), yet simplifies by using standard computer code to focus on the interaction of information flows. Thus while the structure of the network looks neurocentric, the dynamics are best understood in flowcentric terms. Surprisingly, dynamic system analysis (as usually understood) is not involved. An Emergic Network is engineered much like straightforward software or hardware systems that deal with continuously varying inputs. Ultimately, this thesis addresses the problem of reduction and induction over complex systems, and the Emergic Network architecture is merely a tool to assist in this epistemic endeavour.
ECM is strictly a sensory model and apart from perception, yet it is informed by phenomenology. It addresses the attribution problem of how much of a phenomenon is best explained at a sensory level of analysis, rather than at a perceptual one. As the causal information flows are stable under eye movement, we hypothesize that they are the locus of consciousness, howsoever it is ultimately realized.
For both computational subject and stimuli details, the appropriate parameter files are shown. These are fully described within the Emergic Simulation System portion of the thesis. The test results are available online in an animated format (Leibovitz, 2012a) that is ideal for exhibiting qualitative behaviour. It is an extremely compact format (one web page for each of the eight computational models), and has a few additional test results. It is available at
http://emergic.upwize.com/?page_id=26
This supplement merely extracts the animated results into a frame-by-frame account with precise timing information suitable for quantitative analysis and print publication. The thesis contains extracts of these frame-by-frame accounts.
The animated results contain an extra Photoreceptor Changes column that is not ordinarily shown in the thesis or supplement as it is not yet part of our cognitive theory. It demonstrates temporal edge detection and is merely the absolute difference in a photoreceptor’s activation between two time ticks.
Some of these results have been previously introduced (Leibovitz, 2012b; Leibovitz & West, 2012).
Books by David Pierre Leibovitz
1. entering data for a mineral to be identified (the unknown) or entering search criteria.
2. identifying the mineral, or matching minerals meeting the search criteria.
3. displaying data for specified, identified or matched minerals.
This manual assumes the reader is already familiar to some extent with Minldent. It contains all the terms that may be explained via the ? / HELP / EXPLAIN commands.
Abstracts by David Pierre Leibovitz
The program can be used to generate a list of minerals having properties within within the ranges input for an unidentified mineral or can be made to display and rank the twenty most likely identities for an unknown. The program can also be used to tabulate chosen properties of matched minerals, or to tabulate minerals in the data base that have certain specified properties. Alternatively, all analytical and other data stored for a particular mineral can be displayed.
Tests using data for known minerals to simulate unknowns indicate a high degree of reliability given accurate input information, and a surprising success rate even when input data are qualitative in character.
The MinIdent identification and data base management software uses about 400 kbytes of memory and the data base used in mineral identification currently uses less than 4 Mbytes. Running times for typical identification procedures range between about 0.5 and 3.0 seconds of CPU time on the AMDAHL 580/FF mainframe computer on which the program has been developed. The cycle time of this computer is about 23 ns. MinIdent can be accessed globally via data communications networks such as DATAPAC, TELENET and TYMNET.
Application of the MinIdent data base and software are envisaged wherever earth scientists are faced with the task of mineral identification. Such areas of specialization include petrology (igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary), economic geology (ore mineralogy, mineral exploration and mineral beneficiation), geochemistry, meteorites and crystallography.
Papers by David Pierre Leibovitz