This module in the Research Proseminar ICOS 321 given by the Interdisciplinary Program in Cognitive Science is now over.
You can contact me either by e-mail at kainen@georgetown.edu or by telephone 72703.
See the page on vision for a few related remarks.
As Nietzsche says, ``One must learn to love.'' It is not so simple to think psychophysically, keeping awareness of mathematical aspects of the basic senses. Many aspects of mathematics are best learned when two resources are both available: motivation and time. As I have mentioned, psychophysics involves many aspects of biology and so it is perhaps not surprising that it has such organic requirements. For life surely requires (perhaps it _is_) motivation and also life is very slow. It grows, rather than instanteously transforming itself. Over time, perhaps these ideas and reconceptualizations of one's interface to the universe will suggest interesting intellectual, artistic, emotional and even spiritual directions.
With technical material, I personally read diagonally . Basically, just jump in. This is especially necessary with books, and one of the values of a good index is that it facilitates this type of access. Also, be judgemental in the sense that you prioritize. Note that the order in which things are read makes a difference - even how they are grouped. One of the fascinating threads in the written material is that the sense of vision mimics exactly this method in the way that it assesses the visual environment. An animal that reads its environment in a smarter way may have advantages. A second theme in the written material is that there are special situations in vision where quantitative models can be proposed and tested.
pck; 1/31/01