A physical model of an abstract learning process

Abstract

Such a p r o c e s s can be r ea l i zed phys ica l ly in a n u m b e r of s imple f o r m s inc luding an exact phys i ca l mode l of the "poin t and l ine" model us ing pegs in a pegboard for the points and s t r i n g for the connec t ing a s s o c i a t i o n s . An e l e c t r i c a l p lugboard may also be used in the same way. A more e legant mode l may be cons t ruc t ed by us ing a n o r m a l r andom access d igi ta l computer m e m o r y . In th is case a g iven a d d r e s s in the m e m o r y c o r r e s p o n d s to one of the points . Stored in the d i f fe rent s to rage locat ions a r e the a d d r e s s e s of a l l of the assoc ia ted , 'points" which in this case a re o ther s torage a d d r e s s e s . With each of these a s soc i a t i on a d d r e s s e s i s s to red a value co r r e spond ing to the s t r eng th of the a s s o c i a t ion. U n i l a t e r a l a s s o c i a t i o n s a re s tored by giving an assoc ia ted add res s at only one of two s to rage l o c a t i o n s which c o r r e s p o n d to un i l a t e r a l l y assoc ia ted points in the env i ronmen t .