Use of electrical metaphors for comprehension of transformative cognitive processes

Eightfold Configuration of Nested Cycles of Cognitive Transformations (Part #2)

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This theme was extensively discussed in the preceding paper, notably in a section on Modulating cognitive transformations: electrical metaphors and semiconduction (2012). Noted in particular was the work of Dedre Gentner (Flowing Waters or Teeming Crowds: mental models of electricity, 1983) and Marlene Johansson Falck (Electrifying Performances and Brains that Fuse: metaphor and the cognitive function of electricity, 2005). The latter indicated:

As is evident from my material, which consists of a large number of metaphorical expressions from the OED, CIDE and 20th CW1, there is remarkable consistency among the instances with respect to the kinds of experiences that may be structured by means of our experiences of electricity. Almost all the mappings exemplify the use of electricity to conceptualise people's actions or emotions. (pp. 52-53)

As indicated by the reference above to "flowing waters", widespread use is also made of the so-called hydraulic analogy, treating electrical circuits as water flows:

• Electric potential, corresponding to hydraulic head
• Electric charge, corresponding to the quantity of water.
• Current, corresponding to quantity of flowing water over time.
• Voltage, or potential difference, corresponding to a difference in pressure between two points: the higher the water, the higher the voltage. Negative voltage could then correspond to having water levels lower than some arbitrary zero level.
• Resistance, corresponding to the degree of constriction in the water conduit
• Inductance, corresponding to a second loop of water that must be sped up or slowed down by the circuit and that resists the change in current.
• Capacitance, corresponding to a dam preventing water from crossing and allows a buildup of different water heights on either side.

Aside from the above references, it may be considered unclear to what extent these terms are considered credible in relation to cognitive processes. It is however appropriate to note that a range of such electromagnetic phenomena are currently the focus of extensive study in relation to the the performance of neurons in the brain. This suggests that they play roles, as yet only partially understood, with respect to consciousness and cognitive transformations (cf. James Beichler, The Neurophysical Basis of Mind and Consciousness, American Physical Society, 2012).

The credibility of the relation may be explored otherwise through exercises such as the following. Using the Google search facility, this provides an indication through a count of the search results when the terms in the columns and rows of the table below are paired -- both with quotes (indicated by w:) and without quotes (indicated by w/o:). When paired with quotes, this gives the results for the phrase (eg "cognitive resistance"). Google does not use wild cards to ensure incorporation of word variants. However when used without quotes, the results include such word variants through a process it defines as stemming.

The table is of course merely an indication, without taking account of other possibly relevant word orders when quotes are used. Nor does the exercise take account of synonyms. The results in the phrase search may also be falsified by intervening punctuation. The exercise does not take account of other uses of a term which may render meaningless the particular indication (eg "charge" as in cost, "current" as in time). The results without quotes are suggestive of the existence of texts which include otherwise distinct preoccupations.

Electrical metaphors for comprehension of transformative cognitive processes
	cognitive	psychological	mental	psychosocial	social	meditation
resistance	w: 2,930 w/o: 14.8 mill.	w: 87,300 w/o: 26.3 mill	w: 71,300 w/o: 92.5 mill	w: 1,780 w/o: 2.4 mill	w: 75,400 w/o: 203 mill	w: 3,010 w/o: 10.7 mill
inductance	w: 2 w/o: 1.3 mill	w: 2 w/o: 1.75 mill	w: 150 w/o: 1.27 mill	w: 0 w/o: 138.000	w: 64 w/o: 2.79 mill	w: 1 w/o: 24,700
impedance	w: 407 w/o: 1.06 mill	w: 705 w/o: 0.58 mill	w: 1,920 w/o: 1.13 mill	w: 0 w/o: 1.24 mill	w: 537 w/o: 3.3 mill	w: 3 w/o: 1.84 mill
capacitance	w: 80 w/o: 0.26 mill	w: 63 w/o: 3.28 mill	w: 632 w/o: 5.02 mill	w: 1 w/o: 0.69 mill	w: 89 w/o: 0.96 mill	w: 0 w/o: 0.62 mill
charge	w: 1,210 w/o: 15.3 mill	w: 8,320 w/o: 38.3 mill	w: 6,440 w/o: 164 mill	w: 210 w/o: 2.2 mill	w: 60,700 w/o: 751 mill	w: 1,680 w/o: 17.6 mill
current	w: 16,700 w/o: 55.2 mill	w: 9,500 w/o: 121 mill	w: 27,600 w/o: 373 mill	w: 2,070 w/o: 11.5 mill	w: 598,000 w/o: 3,600 mill	w: 6,690 w/o: 40.5 mill
voltage	w: 242 w/o: 4.1 mill	w: 467 w/o: 2.7 mill	w: 3,780 w/o: 20.4 mill	w: 3 w/o: 2.7 mill	w: 1,850 w/o: 46.2 mill	w: 43 w/o: 19.3 mill
potential	w: 45,900 w/o: 45.7 mill	w: 35,600 w/o: 72.1 mill	w: 62,600 w/o: 229 mill	w: 2,250 w/o: 8.9 mill	w:129,000 w/o: 1,080 mill	w: 10,700 w/o: 23.3 mill
conductance	w: 92 w/o: 0.47 mill	w: 5 w/o: 0.3 mill	w: 159 w/o: 0.62 mill	w: 0 w/o: 0.96 mill	w: 202 w/o: 0.8 mill	w: 1 w/o: 0.39 mill
connectivity	w: 1,590 w/o: 6.7 mill	w: 6,090 w/o: 3.9 mill	w: 1,650 w/o: 14.7 mill	w: 49 w/o: 2.7 mill	w: 171,000 w/o: 83.4 mill	w: 194 w/o: 1 mill
circuit	w: 1,730 w/o: 6.7 mill	w: 933 w/o: 10.4 mill	w: 16,600 w/o: 63.1	w: 76 w/o: 4.4 mill	w: 90,300 w/o: 205 mill.	w: 1,570 w/o: 6 mill.
capacity	w: 264,000 w/o: 27.1 mill.	w: 40,300 w/o: 36.1 mill.	w: 3.7 mill. w/o: 8 mill.	w: 3,210 w/o: 4.6 mill.	w: 101,000 w/o: 590 mill.	w: 1,040 w/o: 13.4 mill.

Irrespective of the high proportion of such results which may be irrelevant, it is clear that some hold insights that merit exploration. Surprisingly there is even a technical literature on "cognitive radio", for example. With respect to meditation, one blog indicates:

If the purpose of meditation is to eliminate distracting thoughts, then perhaps meditation is an exercise in increasing one's mental inductance

Of particular interest, as an unexpected insight of relevance to a current global preoccupation, is the example of an exploration of inductance. This has been a focus of Ronald K. Mitchell (A Transaction Cognition Theory of Global Entrepreneurship, 2003):

Transaction cognition theory decomposes a transaction into its three basic elements: an individual, other persons, and the work. According to this theory, variability in human performance can be attributed to variability in cognitions related to these elements of a transaction. (p. 183)

This follows a direction suggested by Kenneth Arrow (1969) regarding the parallels between physical systems and economic systems, whereby the "transactions costs" are the economic equivalent of friction in physical systems. Citing Oliver E. Williamson (The Mechanisms of Governance, 1996), Mitchell notes that one of the reasons for appealing to other disciplines for assistance in the development of entrepreneurship theory is that more mature disciplines may well have encountered and solved problems common to newer fields. Mitchell argues for the value of drawing on electrical engineering as follows:

A problem that has been studied extensively in electrical engineering, and that is analogous to similar problems in entrepreneurship, is the problem of inductance. Inductancy, or reactvity, occurs in electromechanical situations such as electric motor acceleration or deceleration, where either sparks ... or shocks .. are created. In electrical engineering, the level of this reactivity is termed inductance... Transaction cognition theory suggests new inductance relationships -- the propensity of a transaction to fail ("sparks" or "shocks" in economic transacting) -- might be thought of as a function... of the level of planning, promise, and competitions (the reactivity constant), multiplied by the rate of change in transaction flow. When conceptualized in this manner, new relationships in global entrepreneurship are suggested, especially in the area of value conservation.... one of the key implications... is that the level of cognitive inertia in entrepreneurship... is susceptible to change... (p. 206)

In a later study (Ronald K. Mitchell, Kenneth Keng and Wei Chen, Institutional Entrepreneurship and "Inductance" in the Public Sector: a China case, Texas Tech University) the authors note:

In this paper we use an extensive analysis of China's economy to explore an under-considered phenomenon in public-sector entrepreneurship: social inductance (reactivity/resistance to development). Herein we demonstrate, in this still-planned economy, how the decisions of policy-makers and institutional entrepreneurs can impact long-term growth in low, medium, and high-inductance scenarios

A different example is offered in the modelling exercise presented by Luiz Bevilacqua and colleagues (Knowledge Diffusion Paths in a Research Chain, Mecánica Computacional, 2010):

The mathematical model incorporates a diffusion coefficient, a generation, and a knowledge inductance, or impedance, coefficient as the parameters that guide the diffusion of knowledge in the research chain.

It is worth considering whether many of the most vexatious current issues of human communication could be fruitfully reframed in terms of "impedance matching" -- for which the Smith Chart is valued, as discussed below (cf. Jeffery C. Allen and Dennis M. Healy, Jr, Hyperbolic Geometry, Nehari's Theorem, Electric Circuits, and Analog Signal Processing, Modern Signal Processing MSRI Publications, 46, 2003)

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