Posted by Marvin Amstey on January 25, 1999 at 12:15:00:
In Reply to: Re: A comment posted by Nikos Salingaros on January 25, 1999 at 11:25:02:
: The answer to Tom Cole's inquiry is contained in the
: material I supplied initially, which was rejected
: as too far out.
: Let us consider a computer that judges the quality
: of a carpet. We have to program certain rules,
: like the checklist given in this salon; perhaps
: made to include several times the number of criteria,
: with the present checklist representing the rough
: initial judgement, and sublists that establish the
: fine degree of judgements. If we do our job correctly
: then we may come up with a list of lists, each acting
: on a different level of fine judgement, and sublists
: that expand the fine points of a single criterion.
: Such a computer will, I think, provide a relatively
: correct judgment, in the sense of accurately
: finding the "dancing" quality, or "life" in a good
: carpet design. If it doesn't, we can certainly
: refine the program by adding further and finer
: criteria until its performance is satisfactory.
: Those among the readers who know some computer
: science will immediately recognize the definition
: of a neural network. An artificial neural
: network can be trained to recognize some desired
: qualities through the use of programmed rules.
: My claim is that the human mind acts in precisely
: the same way. A knowledgeable carpet dealer trains
: his or her mind over years, building up a list of
: rules exactly as described above, which are
: programmed in the human neural system of learning.
: The response of the computer (mind) is
: instantaneous. It is still, however, dependent
: on some set of rules, and that's what we are
: discussing now.
: Nikos Salingaros
I understand what Mr. Salingaros is saying, and I can apply the criteria to a Caucasian rug with strong, contrasting color, and "perfect" balance, yet I don't care for the Caucasian rug as art using my aesthetic. I recall Doris Blau saying to me that she can not enjoy Turkomen rugs as much as others, comparing them to Germanic march music; whereas, she looks at an East Turkestan rug , compares that to Vivaldi, and likes it much better. Where does the checklist come in to account for the fact that I like Turkomen (and East Turkestan) rugs and don't care much about Caucasian rugs and Doris Blau has a different aesthetic? Marvin