Information efficiencyInformation efficiency

GoogleGoogle

eBayeBay

Apple’s iPodApple’s iPod

WikipediaWikipedia

Information efficiency

““People will pay extra People will pay extra money not to have money not to have to thinkto think”. ”.

Information efficiency and Information efficiency and

The Nature of “Understanding”The Nature of “Understanding”

• The memory-prediction frameworkThe memory-prediction framework– Understanding is about “generating Understanding is about “generating

expectations” expectations”

• CapyblancaCapyblanca– ““a state of meaningful anticipation”a state of meaningful anticipation”

Any ambiguity here?

Psychology: Expectations drive perceptionPsychology: Expectations drive perception

Neuroscience: more links going towards the Neuroscience: more links going towards the input than otherwiseinput than otherwise

In Feb, 14, 1989, In Feb, 14, 1989, Ayatollah Ruhollah Ayatollah Ruhollah KhomeiniKhomeini issued a Fatwa against Salman issued a Fatwa against Salman Rushdie, for the publication of Satanic Rushdie, for the publication of Satanic Verses.Verses.

A fatwa is a death sentence. Since “A fatwa is a death sentence. Since “though though shall not killshall not kill” is a sacred commandment ” is a sacred commandment from the Roman Catholic Church, they had from the Roman Catholic Church, they had condemned the fatwa.condemned the fatwa.

Or did they?Or did they?

The Roman Catholic church's reaction to The Roman Catholic church's reaction to Khomeini's threat was especially Khomeini's threat was especially remarkable, as it discovered its spiritual remarkable, as it discovered its spiritual kinship with the Imam and was visibly kinship with the Imam and was visibly fascinated by the success of the Iranian fascinated by the success of the Iranian god's reign. After all, what Khomeini had god's reign. After all, what Khomeini had done was something the Roman Catholic done was something the Roman Catholic church had not been able to accomplish in church had not been able to accomplish in its agitation against Martin Scorsese's film its agitation against Martin Scorsese's film "The Last Temptation of Christ." "The Last Temptation of Christ."

(from “(from “Blasphemy is enlightmentBlasphemy is enlightment”)”)

In its mouthpiece, In its mouthpiece, L'Osservatore RomanoL'Osservatore Romano, , the Vatican condemned the Vatican condemned The Satanic The Satanic VersesVerses as blasphemous. Rushdie had hurt as blasphemous. Rushdie had hurt the "religious feelings" of hundreds of the "religious feelings" of hundreds of millions of the Moslem faithful. millions of the Moslem faithful.

Affiliation with the Roman Catholic church Affiliation with the Roman Catholic church demanded rebuke of the blasphemous demanded rebuke of the blasphemous statements in the book, said the paper. statements in the book, said the paper. Pope John Paul IIPope John Paul II saw fit to call Khomeini saw fit to call Khomeini (after his overdue death) (after his overdue death) one of the one of the world's greatest religious leadersworld's greatest religious leaders. .

Not only Rome, but other high dignitaries of Not only Rome, but other high dignitaries of the church elsewhere got a word in: the church elsewhere got a word in: Cardinal Decourtray, head of the French Cardinal Decourtray, head of the French episcopal congregation, spoke of an episcopal congregation, spoke of an "insult to God"; "insult to God";

New York's Cardinal O'Connor stated it New York's Cardinal O'Connor stated it would be stupid to read Rushdie's book would be stupid to read Rushdie's book and that it was important to "and that it was important to "let Moslems let Moslems know we disapprove of attacks on their know we disapprove of attacks on their religionreligion." ."

The church had mapped their own situation The church had mapped their own situation with the ‘last temptation’ to the fatwa and with the ‘last temptation’ to the fatwa and ‘satanic verses’…‘satanic verses’…

How could the church be so How could the church be so inconsistentinconsistent??

Any inconsistency there?Any inconsistency there?

UnderstandingUnderstanding

• Analogies and rolesAnalogies and roles– A Fattah and a popeA Fattah and a pope– The light-cone / relevance coneThe light-cone / relevance cone– A sense of meaningful anticipationA sense of meaningful anticipation

• How can that be implemented?How can that be implemented?– Top-down pressures creating expectationsTop-down pressures creating expectations– Situations and Roles Situations and Roles

What is perception?What is perception?Introduction to analogies & abstract rolesIntroduction to analogies & abstract roles

What is perception?What is perception?

For example, what is an For example, what is an AA??

3 line segments is a specific arrangement, perhaps with 3 line segments is a specific arrangement, perhaps with some decorations? (Donald Knuth’s metafont?)some decorations? (Donald Knuth’s metafont?)

heihei~ black in Chinese~ black in Chinese

Make an analogy that fits your caseMake an analogy that fits your case– Quebec will become a lifeboat!Quebec will become a lifeboat!– This is a new VietnamThis is a new Vietnam– This is Germany all over againThis is Germany all over again

And what are analogies made of?And what are analogies made of?

Letter string analogiesLetter string analogies

abcabcabd abd

ijk ijk ? ?

Letter string analogiesLetter string analogies

abcabcabd abd

ijjkkk ijjkkk ? ?

abcabcabd abd

xyzxyz ? ?

aabcaabcaabd – change the last letter to its successoraabd – change the last letter to its successor

ijkk ijkk ? ?

ijkl? - change the last letter to its successorijkl? - change the last letter to its successor

aabcaabcaabd – change the last letter to its successoraabd – change the last letter to its successor

ijkk ijkk ? ?

ijkl? - change the last letter to its successorijkl? - change the last letter to its successor

ijll? – change the last group of letters to its successorijll? – change the last group of letters to its successor

aabcaabcaabd – change the last letter to its successoraabd – change the last letter to its successorijkk ijkk ? ?

ijkl? - change the last letter to its successorijkl? - change the last letter to its successorijll? – change the last group of letters to its successorijll? – change the last group of letters to its successorjjkk? – change the first letter to its successorjjkk? – change the first letter to its successor

aabcaabcaabd – change the last letter to its successoraabd – change the last letter to its successorijkk ijkk ? ?

ijkl? - change the last letter to its successorijkl? - change the last letter to its successorijll? – change the last group of letters to its successorijll? – change the last group of letters to its successorjjkk? – change the first letter to its successorjjkk? – change the first letter to its successorhjkk? - change the first letter to its predecessorhjkk? - change the first letter to its predecessor

aabcaabcaabd – change the last letter to its successoraabd – change the last letter to its successorijkk ijkk ? ?

ijkl? - change the last letter to its successorijkl? - change the last letter to its successorijll? – change the last group of letters to its successorijll? – change the last group of letters to its successorjjkk? – change the first letter to its successorjjkk? – change the first letter to its successorhjkk? - change the first letter to its predecessorhjkk? - change the first letter to its predecessorijlk? – change the last letter of the increasing sequence to ijlk? – change the last letter of the increasing sequence to

its its successorsuccessor

aabcaabcaabd – change the last letter to its successoraabd – change the last letter to its successorijkk ijkk ? ?

ijkl? - change the last letter to its successorijkl? - change the last letter to its successorijll? – change the last group of letters to its successorijll? – change the last group of letters to its successorjjkk? – change the first letter to its successorjjkk? – change the first letter to its successorhjkk? - change the first letter to its predecessorhjkk? - change the first letter to its predecessorijlk? – change the last letter of the increasing sequence to ijlk? – change the last letter of the increasing sequence to

its its successorsuccessor

……There are many interpretations of the ruleThere are many interpretations of the rule

We have to find out what fits in the same We have to find out what fits in the same “abstract roles”. “abstract roles”.

Could a machine do it?Could a machine do it?

Could a machine do it like people do it?Could a machine do it like people do it?

slipnetslipnet

WORKSPACE

CONCEPT NETWORK

ABCABCABD : IJKABD : IJK ? ?

Screencast #1Screencast #1http://www.capyblanca.comhttp://www.capyblanca.com

ABCABCABD : IIIJJJKKKABD : IIIJJJKKK ? ?

Screencast #2Screencast #2http://www.capyblanca.comhttp://www.capyblanca.com

ABCABCABD : XYZABD : XYZ ? ?

Screencast #3Screencast #3http://www.capyblanca.comhttp://www.capyblanca.com

MORE IMPORTANT THANMORE IMPORTANT THAN

What something usually is, or is usually What something usually is, or is usually called, is the relation to other objects, and called, is the relation to other objects, and the abstract role that it plays in a larger the abstract role that it plays in a larger context.context.

““Quebec will become a lifeboat!”Quebec will become a lifeboat!”““The lawyer is arriving, but before the The lawyer is arriving, but before the vampire says anything…”vampire says anything…”

What’s this guy’s role?

15: 18:

14: 17:

Current theory of Simon and Gobet

Brum’s theory

The Capyblanca ProjectThe Capyblanca Project

Screencast #4Screencast #4http://www.capyblanca.comhttp://www.capyblanca.com

SummarySummary

• Expectations drive perceptionExpectations drive perception

• Perception and high-level cognition Perception and high-level cognition interact intensivelyinteract intensively– Bottom-up, data driven processesBottom-up, data driven processes– Top-down, hypothesis-driven processesTop-down, hypothesis-driven processes

• The right level of description maximizes The right level of description maximizes information efficiencyinformation efficiency

Information EfficiencyInformation Efficiency

• Google search and Apple’s iPod successes are Google search and Apple’s iPod successes are due to it. “due to it. “People will pay extra money not to People will pay extra money not to have to thinkhave to think”. ”.

• The mind only understands something when The mind only understands something when information efficiency is achievedinformation efficiency is achieved– ABC:ABD-> IIIJJJKKK:?ABC:ABD-> IIIJJJKKK:?– ““The only way out of a double check is to escape with The only way out of a double check is to escape with

the King”the King”

• Information efficiency arises at the level of Information efficiency arises at the level of abstract rolesabstract roles