.."(291)
"The general theory of representation releases by Mundy is based on structured and unstructured representations. The unstructured representations are different to the structured representations in the sense that the elements of set A are mapped to elements of B by a function f wich is understood to represents the numerical relations of the elements of A, but the numerical and physical relations are not explicitly specified (Mundy 1986). We believe that this concept can capture the aspects of connectionst representations wich can not be isolated, each computing unit being involved in representing several things.
In the case of dynamical systems theory maybe it is improper to talk effectively about the notion of representation. But we can identify some structures that are preserved through the continuous changing within the state space."(Vacariu et al. 2001, 291).
I agreed that the intention of exceed certain disagreements can be intersting and good.
But, Vacariu et al. suggested, by they article title, that the abstract theories that they presented, at least, tend towards the idea of representation.
I consider that the idea of representation is older that the Cognitive Sciences.
In addition, this idea is sometimes improperly used.
I will propose a content as the content of the idea of representation and I will compare the previous three ideas with my idea.
For Edelman, representation is not similar with something from environment, but it present similarities between cognitive or conscious contents/informations.
Clark considered that,"A representation is a certain stored information wich stands-in for something, its function being that of carrying specific information. However, the bear existence of a correlation between a certain inner state and some bodily or outer parameters is not enough to establish the representational status of that inner state, more important being the nature and the complexity of correlation"(Clark 1997) cf. Vacariu et al.2001).
I think that, there must be first order conscious states. Even if perception is not independent of previous experience. At least temporally, first order conscious informations must exist. The conscious first order flow is the fundamental matter of cognition.
There are people that concentrate their atention on the study of human visual system, because they had supposed that cognitive process advance in the folowing way:
vision, perception, idea(cognition).
This implies that:
Idea->perception->vision->photons.
However, I think that the first order conscious material of cognition come from all sensorial systems, not only from visual system.
It is clear that, in the actual scientific cognitive process we does not start only with pure perception, but also with the fundamental theories and ideas wich we gained until now. We do not start again from 0.
The idea of re-presentation is a composed idea:
it suggest an action, representation.
more exactly, the action of presentation something that was already presented before.
Maybe, in some point of the interval of cosmic evolution many events are repeated without of our cognition about them. However, representation
implies an agency. On the other hand, if the quantum events are reversible, as is pretended by some physiciscts, and if we would have the power to
control the behavior of quanta, then there would posible also non-cognitive representations.
That is, the idea of representation can be suitable for non-cognitive physical events.
Now, given this two characteristics of
the very idea of representation we find that:
this idea does not suggest especially a structual or formal equivalence.
what this idea suggest is not primarly a similarity.
