Chapter 13
Experiments show that, in a controlled environment, some monkeys build and operate some primitive symbolic models. They might implement this function by software, based on image models. However, these very singular examples prove their incapacity to evolve towards a symbolic model, in fact.
One of the most striking characteristics of these animals is their lack of stability in a model. The most intelligent monkeys are those which have the capacity to stay in a model, when the external reality gives them many opportunities to change the active model. If the monkeys had stability in a model, then they could have better performance at building symbolic models, under the human control.
In spite of the fact that MDT does not sustain the evolution of man from monkey, the behaviour resemblance of monkeys and humans, on image models of course, is striking.
The dolphin
The dolphin is considered a very intelligent animal, next after humans. The dolphin can not only immitate the signs made by humans but they can integrate them into a larger context.
For instance, when the gestures of the trainer suggest a jump followed by a salute, the dolphin understands that it has to jump, and then, to greet the public.
However, even if dolphins seem to understand easily gestures, they do not seem to have abilities to associate an action to a symbolic message.
The dolphin builds easily normal long-range models, not only story-type models as some other animals.
At the same time, they could reach even level 2 of conciousness, if it could be proven that they build their own correlation models with the group to which they belong (as it seems to be the case for captive dolphins).
Note: many species of animals hunt in packs. Usually, the model of correlation is situated in PSM. The superiority of an animal is given by the capacity to build its own correlation model with the pack or with other beings, human or animals, (level 2 of consciousness). It is not easy to see this essential difference, as the apparent behaviour can be the same.
The theory does not exclude the possibility of level 2 consciousness, on image models (of course) for the dolphins.
This would mean e.g. that a dolphin anticipates the action of another and will act in advance, based on prediction, in the frame of a normal model, imposed by the trainer (not a model of the PSM, as the ones associated to instincts). There could be some difficulties to understand what happens, due to the reason shown in the note above.
Some other things result from the theory. Thus, the basic characteristic of the environment where the dolphin lives, is the lack of landmarks. Whatever the capacity of interaction with external reality is, the dolphin in the ocean cannot build models of the environment in which it lives, due to the lack of landmarks. It can't mark the territory to use marks in building models of the territory. Even if it might make maps of the magnetic field of the Earth, these maps are not precise enough to have good landmarks. Even if it had precise landmarks (near the coastline), they could be used only for local navigation.
Using the terminology of my theory, one could say that the dolphin has schizophrenia induced by the environment.
Captivity should increase the level of intelligence of the dolphins, due to an environment with landmarks. These can stimulate it to use its brain to a higher capacity closer to its theoretical possibilities. However, experiments up to date do not show abilities to build symbolic models, as in the case of some monkeys, even if on image models, dolphin brain seems to be very advanced for an animal.
Observations about the limited survival of dolphins in captivity can be related to the fact, that, in captivity, they build very fast the exact model of the space available. After a while (see "stress") the space is known very well and this could be a cause of stress. A strong brain needs always new information. The solution could be a larger environment, in which, additionally, the configuration should be changed every now and then. Contrary to general belief, animals, including dolphins, should feel better in interaction with man in a controlled environment, in the above conditions, than in liberty.
The shark
The shark has the same environmental problems as the dolphin. It behaviour is so primitive that, based on the theory, it should have only PSM, with extremely few models, given by the interaction with the external reality. Water seems to be a relatively hostile environment for the development of the intelligence.
The whale
The whale can navigate at thousands of kilometers of open see and return to its start point. It is also known that they seem to communicate by sounds similar to a song.
It is believed about whales that they can use the magnetic field of the bottom of the ocean to build a map (image model). If so, they could find their position on this primitive map. However, if this map becomes incorrect, due to changes of the magnetic field, they could navigate in a wrong direction, including landing on ocean shores. Moreover, if taken back to the open see, they will repeat the path that lead them to trouble, because their navigation system indicates the same direction as before. Simply, the whales get lost, and have no means to find again their position in the ocean.
We can take a risk and say that, if the information of navigation associated with the magnetic field were recorded in a story-type model (equivalent to a map), then the whale would know how to return to the starting point by "rewinding the tape". Thus, it has to compare the story-type model with IR generated by the direct interaction with external reality.
If this is the method, a transfer of this itinerary model from a whale could be possible to another, which did not make this trip yet, through that "song". Seems fascinating, but also it is possible to check by experiment.
ETA 25: Very complicated operations on image models (walk, jumps, climbing trees) of humans
We will apply the theory to see the exact way of walking, jumping and tree climbing at humans. In accordance to MDT, an action on the external reality (e.g. walking) implies the existence of a long-range action model (ZAM). This model generates the approximate plan of the action. ZAM will build and activate a number of local models (ZAM and AZM) to reach its goals.
A local ZAM will simulate the movement of the leg for the first step. If the simulated step is successful, then ZAM will activate the action on the external reality. The leg will move in the same way as the leg 'moved' during the simulation. It is not possible to do any movement, if it had not been successfully simulated before.
Let's see the case of jumping. In front of an obstacle, which has to be jumped over, the brain will 'execute' a simulated jump. If the simulated jump succeeds, it can be done in the external reality as well, activating the model, which did the simulated successful jump. If the simulation does not succeed, there will be no model to activate the muscles of the body, and the being will be blocked to act. Any attempt to go against the internal decisison will fail.
The conclusion from the previous analysis is that a more or less elaborate simulation precedes any action on the external reality. The result is that an extremely complicated activity, like e.g. walking, is executed with remarkable precision and elegance.
At first sight, walking seems to be a relatively simple activity. At a closer analysis, one can see extreme complexity. The first problem is keeping the equilibrium during walking. The stability of humans and animals during walking is a dynamical stability. This means that, if we "froze" the body in an intermediate position, the body would not be stable and would fall. During walking, the models anticipate the movements of the body through simulation and send suitable commands in advance. If there was no anticipation of the evolution and we counted only on the stability and position sensors, the information would get delayed to the device taking the decision and such, the system would have a reduced stability. This is how all the electronic stabilizer systems work: they wait for something to happen to make a correction.
In the case of the brain, the information from the stability and position sensors is used to anticipate the possible future problems and act before the problem arised. This is the dynamical stability and, I think, this problem cannot be solved in real time by any existing computer due to the low power of the present computers.
From here we can see the huge capacity of information processing of any brain, starting with mammals. The most primitive mammals, with brains of a few grams or tens of grams, are able of higher performance than humans, in running and jumping.
We should think of the fact that, for walking, a correlation of hundreds or thousands of musculars fibers is needed. Dynamically, i.e. depending on the specifics of any individual movement, on the previous behaviour, on the anticipated behaviour, on the goal to be attained and on the various external perturbations, all these fibres will be activated/deactivated in a precise order, each with the suitable intensity to solve the given problem. At any moment the problems which could appear are anticipated and the corrections are made, before the problems occur. The number of models (which are built or activated), associated with this type of activity, can be tens or hundreds in a second.
Example: The working speed of a model
Related to anticipation by simulation on a model, I have seen a photo of a baseball player that was trying to catch a fast ball in flight. The high-speed photo showed the ball flying directly into the glove of the player. The sensational in this picture is that the eyes were looking at the place where the ball had been some time before. The model for catching the ball has anticipated the position of the ball based on the previous information coming from the eyes. The action was a success, even if the eyes were unable to give the real time information, and in spite of the fact that the hand can not move very fast. This example illustrates the huge advantage of the construction and operation of models. The effective speed of action can be considerably higher than the intrinsic speed of action of the components.
Hikers who go on difficult treks with heavy backpaks, which change slightly their position, know that hiking can be done with exceptional stability. Personally, the immense capacities of the brain to process information, and the speed of execution of these incredibly complicated operations, have always amazed me.
Associated with the above issue, I had a situation on a trek, carrying a heavy backpack, when a stone slipped from under my foot and I fell. The active models were not able to anticipate this possibility. In this case, the capacity to build a new model suitable to the external reality is reduced. As we know, PSM is activated instead. However, I am still amazed that I was not hurt during that fall (it was practically a controlled fall, but outside my consciousness). Usually, PSM tries to save what can be still saved, and it is even possible, that it will accept sacrificing an arm, to save what is more important.
Connected with this specific problem, there is also another variant that a parallel model to the main model of walking was created. This parallel model predicted that the stone will slip and built a saving model outside the line of the PSM. However the theory predicts only two lines: one of the PSM and one of the ZAM which controls the global activity. Possibly, the ZM could let the main ZAM act, and build in parallel other ZAMs models for new situations, which would be activated in special cases. This type of behaviour is not specifically excluded by the theory, but in reality it is not met sufficiently clearly, so that it can be sustained. Building a parallel model is an easy operation, but the question is, how does the main ZM know what other ZAM to activate, when the active ZAM does not correspond anymore. The implementation of this facility could be done if there were a 'pipeline' built by the main ZM, so that a specific order of activation of parallel ZAMs existed in special cases. But this would imply the existence of a new hardware. As I already said, the existence of this facility (pipeline of ZAMs) cannot be sustained yet, due to insufficient data, but could be a line of further hardware development of the brain.
The issue of walking, jumping and running is inimaginably complicated and I do not believe that in predictible future, robots will come close to the performance of a chicken a few days old, running on a difficult terrain.
Climbing trees is an even more complicated activity, than walking and jumping. The basic information is related to the lack of precise information about the resistance of the branches. The models are able to make an evaluation of the resistance of each branch, but the model will have enough simulations in which the branch will break. ZM will need to take this into account, based on various local models, in order to build a good strategy (the best ZAM reactualised very often). In this case, the stability in the tree will be given by the capacity of building alternative models, which could be activated, if a branch broke. The brain effort needed to ensure the stability of the person in a tree is huge. Not all brains have this capacity. Moreover the ZM should also build a 'saving' model, in which there should be at least three points of support at any moment, in the ideea that if at least two will behave as in the simulation, the system will have an acceptable level of stability.
Walking on a difficult terrain, jumping and the stability in tree climbing are tests, which can show global performance of humans in the domain of image models. In animals these functions can be even more efficient.
ETA 26: The brain evolves under our eyes.
Generally all ETAs refer to the behaviour and evolution of the brain of a normal average human.
In 1900 Quantum Mechanics appeared. It marks the highest level attained up to now, in the brain evolution. However, people, who reached this extreme advance of knowledge, are ordinary people in everyday life. Independent of the level in the professional field, in everyday life, the brain continues to act to a large extends based on image models.
I have an example, in which one can see clearly, and above any doubt, the evolution of the brain towards more and more advanced symbolic models, at the level of the common person, in an issue always associated with image models: nutrition.
In all times, people have eaten based on analysis on image models. Associated terms to nutrition are taste, smell, colour, aspect etc. The decision to eat or not a certain food, is based on image models. It can be said that the whole being, with its whole structure, participates at solving the nutrition problem.
We have an explicit situation, when the process of evolution towards symbolic models in nutrition is clear. I have seen a person in a shop, who wanted to buy a certain product. The person had at hand a list of dangerous food additives (the so-called "E"s). A product was rejected because it contained such an "E".
Taste, smell, aspect and natural drive were overrun and a logical decision taken, totally independent of any image model. "E"s cannot be sensed based on image models. When a decision is taken exclusively on symbolic models, we have clearly a progress. This phenomenon, according to MDT, will increase on all levels.
Important note: the elite has imposed that any food should be labeled with the exact contents and other data, so that evolved people can take their own decision. This type of information is useless for the image-type public. The real problem is not the information, but the technical capacity of the brain to collect information and decide based on symbolic models.
As I mentioned, the attitude of the majority of consumers continues to be strongly anchored in a complex structure of image models. There is an infinite number of cases, in which the image models from one's mind, make the products more expensive, and also more dangerous.
Example: "good quality" butter might contain a substance, which confers it a Yellow commercial colour. Between butter with colorant and the same without it, many consumers choose the one with colour. There are several soft drinks (some very famous) which, without colorants, would have less success.
The brain follows its ascending course towards the increase importance of symbolic models, so that, as we have seen it already happening, the decision in nutrition will be taken with more and more contribution from symbolic models.
The guarantee exists on symbolic model, that, within the laws and the level attained by science and technology and the laws of economy, food is possibly the safest. Nutritional regulations can only impose what a certain product may not contain.
The evolution of the brain is, however, slow on the scale of human active life, even if the evolution accelerates. We are on a level development of the brain on which, in domains where image models were leading (e.g. nutrition), symbolic models are gaining ground.
ETA 27: Principial negative effects associated with the functioning of a brain
1. There is a principial problem, when we ask a question. In order to have an understandable answer, we need to be within the model which generates the answer. Without this condition, the answer will be nonsense. To put it differently: not any question is permitted.
Example: The nature of light can be understood only within the framework of Quantum Mechanics. If we are not familiar with Quantum Mechanics, the answer to the question about the nature of light is nonsense. From outside Quantum Mechanics, light seems to be both wave and particle, and this statement cannot be understood based on logic.
In case of children, the questions in the class "why..?" cannot generally have any answer, as the children haven't got the suitable models. However parents have an answer to any of the children's questions. The answer with the stork bringing the babies is famous. The educational system should take into account these issues. For instance the 'why' questions should not be encouraged, and favour the "what is this?" type questions. This means that, for children, parents should show them the elements associated with external reality and their relation/interconnections. Children will build alone models and they will find themselves the answers to the questions of 'why' type.
2. When you can't do what you want, you do what you can... Here we open Pandora's box. In the majority of cases in everyday life, we cannot do what we want or we can't turn back time after a failure.
These problems can generate building and activation of illogical action models starting with revenge and resignation as individual acts, and ending with wars. The reason is associated with the tendency of any model to evolve towards stability, in the conditions when the model cannot stabilize in any situation. For instance, by revenge, in a way or another, one can find a stability of the model, by attaching to it another model (this model is a shielding model).
Resignation means building a suitable shielding-type model associated to the model with problems. The most important and well-known shielding model, associated to resignation, is religion.
All shielding models are associated with the term 'illusion'. The illusion is defined as the reality generated by a shielding model.
The education system should take into account these classes of problems and find solutions to avoid them.
3. If an action model has been built, it could be activated, independent of respecting or not the social or moral laws. From MDT, we know that PSM contains a series of models imposed by education, which block certain models to activate. If the suitable models in PSM are missing, or if there are suitable shielding models, there are no limits in activating the most incredible models.
4. Translation of an image model into a collection of symbolic models to sustain an undeclared image model. This syndrome is recognised from the simple and imperative logic, but also from the incapacity of the person to have a dialogue, based on logical data and statements. On symbolic model, this problem does not occur, due to multiple cross-checks between elements and relations.
ETA 28: Free-Masonry
We start this theoretical discussion by building a local model. The main statements of the local model are:
1. The intellectual superiority of a person is given by his/her capacity to build and operate long-range models.
2. The activity of the long-range models cannot exceed the lifetime of the person.
3. There are strong tendencies to prolong the action of long range models beyond the limit of his/her physical life.
If a person wants that certain long-range models be active beyond the limit of one's lifetime, one possibility is to activate such models within an organisation. However if we want a model to reach its goals in, let's say 100 years, the organisation should be a very special one. This condition is fulfilled e.g. by free-masonry.
Before going on, I want to point out that I have no direct information/ knowledge on any masonic organisation. The discussion is based exclusively on theoretical considerations, as they result from MDT, and the local model presented above. Moreover, for the discussion, the inner knowledge of a masonic organisation would not bring any useful information. According with the theory, the organisation should reach its goals beyond the limit of lifetimes of its members, and as such, the ordinary masons are generally unaware for what they are fighting.
A very general statement is needed here. Thus, a theory (any theory!) makes a prediction. In this specific case, MDT predicts the existence of a special organisation. Then we try to find in the external reality something that corresponds to the definition. Thus the fact that I attribute to masonry the definition generated by the theory, does not mean that this is complete, and in accordance with the external reality. The masonry in the external reality could have some characteristics in accordance with the theory, but it might have other characteristics, which have not been accounted for by the theory. This means that the theory can predict only the existence of a general structure, and so, it is possible that, in the external reality, one can find several types of organisations, which in spite of respecting the definition, can have structures and components not predicted by the theory. This situation is an extremely general one in all positive sciences and occurs every time when a theory is confronted with the external reality.
Let's go on with the description of a masonic organisation based on MDT.
Usually, ordinary members have no idea on the exact situation, and what they are fighting for. This happens due to the fact that masonry acts extremely slowly, modelling people from a spiritual point of view. Thus, when something happens, this will happen because the intellectuality has already the 'natural' tendency to act in a certain direction, and because the 'natural' tendency of the majority of people will be in the same direction or will not oppose it, at least. Thus, the masonic methods are very different from the classical methods of education, or from the political ones.