Anticipation, Meta-Morphology, and the Promethean Venture of Computing

p. 197-212

Abstract

Meta-Morphology is the Systematics of Patterns that Connect, or the Systematics of Meta-Patterns. Our familiar world of objects, phenomena, and qualia is, by current neurological knowledge, based on the electrical activation and connectivity patterns of our nervous system. Inside our brains, the neuronal "enchante loom" weaves a complicated spatio-temporal meta-pattern structure from which derive our familiar world impressions. In abstract terms, the neuronal apparatus can be described as "Meta Pattern Machine" (MPM). The MPM is the ultimate parallel device, and its storage is an internal set of activation patterns, which form a fuzzy open set, and each new meta-pattern extends the set of existant patterns. Described from the temporal domain, the neuronal system forms an ensemble of coupled oscillator fields with reciprocal stimulation, and its operation mode is in the present context called Neuronal Reverberation. In music, the temporal succession and alternation of melodic themes forms meta-pattern structures which can also be understood as reverberation systems. Reverberation is, most abstractly formulated, the similar reproduction of a temporal pattern across a distance of time and space, and in the MPM description, it is analogous to memory, when viewed from t(n) backward in time towards t(n-1), and as anticipation when viewed from t(n) forward to t(n+1).a In musical composing technique, we find a an illustrating application : when an opening theme evokes in the listener a tension that is being filled in the consequent production of the piece. The Leitmotif of human temporal orientation is spelled out in the ancient Greek mythology of Pro-Metheus and his brother Epi-Metheus, who are both united in the Roman god Janus. How deeply these themes have influenced our occidental mindset, will be traced through various pieces of ancient literature, and their direct influence on the present-day venture of computing will be shown.

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References

Bibliographical reference

Andreas Goppold, « Anticipation, Meta-Morphology, and the Promethean Venture of Computing », CASYS, 8 | 2001, 197-212.

Electronic reference

Andreas Goppold, « Anticipation, Meta-Morphology, and the Promethean Venture of Computing », CASYS [Online], 8 | 2001, Online since 11 July 2024, connection on 20 September 2024. URL : http://popups.lib.uliege.be/1373-5411/index.php?id=1370

Author

Andreas Goppold

FAW Ulm, Postf. 2060, D-89010 Ulm, Germany

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