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Papers by Robert Traill

This review goes beyond its brief. It also notes and develops an interesting parallel:-between •P... more This review goes beyond its brief. It also notes and develops an interesting parallel:-between •Piaget's theories about individuals (based on a psychology of "schème-elements" and "stages"), and •this book's macro "COLLECTIVE-INTELLIGENCE" within the psycho-sociology of a nation (based on shared verbal concepts and "information-classes"). The book doesn't mention Piaget, yet the formal analogy between the two systems is intriguing-indeed, on reflection, one can see that they both exemplify the same basic knowledge-harvesting strategy underlying Kant, Darwin, and the current enthusiasm for "Predictive Processing" ("PP")! Moreover Aslaksen then goes on to identify the same formal pattern •between nations on the world stage. A key feature of this book is its interdisciplinary approach. Aslaksen's background as an engineer is applied here to the flows of opinions and ideas seen in sociology, and whatever hinders such transmissions or retentions. Like Keynes in economics, he identifies the interlocking variables which seem to govern the dynamics to see where that algebra leads theoretically under different circumstances-yielding various plausible results and hence the guidance they offer for future policy. E.g. one important variable is "stress," taken as a measure of conflict among the ideas (which Piagetians see as lack of "equilibration"). Such odd mixing of disciplines is commendable if we are to make progress. Inconveniently though, that will usually increase the stress (just mentioned) in readers, and that maybe explains the tough times experienced by "interdisciplinarity" as reported in Wikipedia. Hopefully this Review/Summary can help smooth such boundaries in this case.

Key hypothesis: •ncRNA is the digital basis for advanced memory and intelligence. This seeds furt... more Key hypothesis: •ncRNA is the digital basis for advanced memory and intelligence. This seeds further hypotheses which together offer a plausible bio-mechanistic model based on Piaget's abstractions. These included: •Optical intercommunication (hence •getting myelinated fibres to double-task as coaxial cable-since demonstrated by others). •Mechanistic bases for Piaget's 'stages.' •The physical 'schéma' nature of a concept. •a virus-sized 'capsid' can contain many schémas, &/or •Many linked optically to distant sites, aided by digital addresses.-Optical messages, so •partially cable-free ('radiolike'), and having •some choice of route (like the internet); meanwhile •synaptic Hebbian routeimprovement maintains efficiency.-•Essential RNA action-codes are transcribed directly from DNA. •Other codes are constructed by rapid-Darwinian trial-and-error from "junk" inherited RNA fragments, sometimes with •intelligence-guidance from a higher Piagetian meta-level.-•New explanation for 'gut intelligence' sees exotic junk-RNA (carried by axon-transport) offering greater Darwinian-diversity in the hippocampus. •New concepts/RNA-structures are carried physically-whole from hippocampus to cortex (impossible with any synapse-memory model).-There is actually a solid forensic detective-work origin for these postulates (based on published findings in various disciplines). At this stage however, it seems best to treat them provisionally as mere guesses, and challenge them experimentally where possible.

What realistic bio-mechanisms could possibly explain advanced human mental abilities, and do this... more What realistic bio-mechanisms could possibly explain advanced human mental abilities, and do this explaining in some depth without the usual vagueness?

Simple thought has been explained by the action-potential (AP) system with its synapses. In contr... more Simple thought has been explained by the action-potential (AP) system with its synapses. In contrast, in-depth details for "Declarative" intellectual thought have been a complete mystery because (it is argued here) its main underlying mechanism is fundamentally different. Declarative thinking depends heavily on linear coding based on digit-like elements-something which an unaided AP system could never offer. Looking instead to psychology, Piaget (1920s) proposed basic units of action-sequences ("schèmes" whereby one could mentally construct object-concepts). There is now evidence that some ncRNA serves this verb-like actioncoding role.-(Other ncRNA demonstrably serves as adjectival/adverbial "regulators"-while the remaining ≈3% of RNA encodes physical structures, the traditional noun-like role). If valid, then:-•NEW FOCUS ONTO ULTRAMICRO:-The whole Piagetian structure-coding for a concept could fit into one of the many 125nm capsids ("granules"). Moreover, many more concepts (and duplicates) could fit into a cell-body.-The vast abundance of coding-sites would allow comprehensive "wasteful" rapid use of Jerneian/Darwinian selection instead of problematic "writing down" of new learnings.-Estimates of memory-capacity increase vastly.-And hereditary-schèmes obviously explain inherited behaviourtraits.-Piaget's other theory about developmental stages also seems compatible. •Quantum-constraints ensure that such micro-sites would USE OPTICAL FREQUENCY signalling. That opens the way to greatly enhanced "Gigabit" rates, and optical-interference tricks. •MYELIN gets the EXTRA ROLE OF OPTIC-CABLE. So nerve-fibres become seen as simultaneous paths for two different types of signal (also demonstrated by Sun-et-al, 2010), with AP still dominant in some roles, but subservient to "UPE" optical signals elsewhere. •LOCATING MEMORIES? Choosing the right address means selecting some sort of "phone-number or numbered plug-socket." That is best provided as an "address-label" sequence on the transmitted version of the schème-codingin which case, actual destination-location may be less important. •"Moving-house" TO CORTICAL LONG-TERM MEMORY. The memory-move must preserve existing (i) memorystructure, and (ii) links to distant static archives. This "impossible" task would seem feasible if memories are actually held within individual cells (as above). There is indeed lifelong flow of such neurons in some mammals; but these flows seem to cease in adulthood for humans and dolphins! So the search continues.

Journal of physics, Dec 13, 2011

View the article online for updates and enhancements. You may also like Breath analysis in asbest... more View the article online for updates and enhancements. You may also like Breath analysis in asbestos-related disorders: a review of the literature and potential future applications

The current text served as a convenient summary for both streams at "the end of the beginning" of... more The current text served as a convenient summary for both streams at "the end of the beginning" of this project, so it may be a useful starting-point for those investigating its arguments.

Lists of illustrations and tables 8 Acknowledgements 10 Declaration concerning publication 11 Ori... more Lists of illustrations and tables 8 Acknowledgements 10 Declaration concerning publication 11 Original Summary of Whole Work 12 GENERAL INTRODUCTION 15 Problems of intuitive thought-as a tool, and as a subject of study 15 Subtopics and how they are allocated here 20 The balance between Parts A, B, and C-and their interdependence 21 Some 18 interrelated biological insights which seem mutually corroborative 22 Possible applications in the social sciences and elsewhere 28 (1) The psychology of economics and politics; (2) Psychiatry; (3) Philosophical enigmas; (4) Academic psychology; (5) Physiology; (6) Embryology and cell-navigation; (7) Demystification within physics PREFACE TO THE 2006 ONLINE EDITION "37a" References for the 2006 Preface ACQUISITION OF KNOWLEDGE WITHOUT TRANSCENDENTAL ASSISTANCE: AN EXTENDED PIAGETIAN APPROACH-Kybernetes, 5, 73-82 73 (A1) A Dissection of Piaget's Key Concepts 73 A1.1 Introduction: Should we postulate specific mental mechanisms in the absence of clearcut evidence? 73c1 A1.2 Popper's concept of Mental Versus Physical 74c1 A1.3 Similar concepts in Piaget 's Work 75c1 A1.4 Application and extension 75c2 (i) Reflexes. (ii) Classical Conditioning. (iii) Operant Conditioning. (iv) Innate Releasing Mechanisms (IRMs) and Fixed Action Patterns (FAPs).

This outlines eight little-known projects relevant to understanding non-chemical causes of asbest... more This outlines eight little-known projects relevant to understanding non-chemical causes of asbestos diseases. Correlations with fibre-geometry suggest optical effects; hence this review considers ultraviolet and infrared projects:-UV for its likely direct effects on mitosis; and IR for its better documented bio-relevance. (#A) "Ultra-weak" photon emissions of IR and UV from living tissue; (well-known in Russia since 1923, but largely ignored elsewhere). (#B) A project initially seeking plausible mechanisms to explain the brain-andintelligence theories of J.Piaget, and of W.R.Ashby (see Appendix-A). This indicated the need for additional "digital-string" mechanisms (plausibly ncRNA) to complement the acknowledged synaptic-system. Such molecular coding implied the need for IR intercommunication, and this led to identifying myelin as apparently having a second role as coaxial optic fibre with appropriate geometry. (#C) Even ordinary (non-coaxial) transparent fibres seem capable of conducting "crude zigzag" light-signals. (#D) Cope (1973) argued that standard mitochondria had the right dimensions to serve as resonance-chambers for the IR produced by ATP metabolism. (#E) Many mitochondria are much thinner than "standard" size, lying along microtubules, and with cristae spaced in a way consistent with UV-related experiments. UV-production entails onerous extra energy-accumulation, possibly via ROS-like metabolism. But #G offers an extra surprising possibility: (#F) Centriole as cell's "eye" which sees IR; (Albrecht-Buehler). Also microtubules as "cell-nerves"-consistent with #E, together implying natural UV signalling. (#G) Goraczko (2000) demonstrated an unexplained health-benefit(!) from low-dose radioactivity. Such irradiation could offer free auxiliary photon-energy (by fluorescence) for UV metabolism.

Kybernetes, 1978

This paper develops more specific details on how natural mental-function might evolve within a wh... more This paper develops more specific details on how natural mental-function might evolve within a wholly-material brain system, depending entirely on "self-organization" operating within á reasonably consistent environment. It is assumed that mental development can, in principle, be explained in detailed mechanistic terms. The attempt is then made to give the outlines of such an explanation, drawing on existing physiological knowledge, and considerations of the practical "design" difficulties which such a system would necessarily have to face. RNA-like codeable strings are seen as the basic memory elements (rather than adaptable synapses). "Con cepts" are explained as Piagetian mental models, built up in explained stages due to interaction with the real object, and encoded on the linear elements. Coordination between these elements is seen as biochemical but with the added available intermediary of electrically mediated signals, allowing coordination at a distance. The likelihood that subsequent develop mental periods may recapitulate the same overall strategy is considered.

Toward a theoretical explanation of electro-chemical interaction in memory use: The postulated ro... more Toward a theoretical explanation of electro-chemical interaction in memory use: The postulated role of infra-red components and molecular evolution

© Copyright R.R.Traill, 2005. Users are permitted to use this article for single-copy non-commerc... more © Copyright R.R.Traill, 2005. Users are permitted to use this article for single-copy non-commercial purposes provided that the original authorship is properly and fully attributed to both author and publisher. If an article is subsequently reproduced or disseminate not in its entirety but only in part or as a derivative work, this must be clearly indicated. For commercial or multi-copy permissions, please contact Copyright Agency Limited: Contact details for Copyright Agency Limited (CAL):

Speculations in Science and Technology, 1988

Modelling human intelligence? Hyland identified three approaches: •Physiological, •Mentalistic (a... more Modelling human intelligence? Hyland identified three approaches: •Physiological, •Mentalistic (as if outside 3D space), and •Mechanistic. Arguably their apparent incompatibility arises from a mistaken choice of scale, centred on the synapse as a basic unit for thought. Instead RNA-codons are now proposed as those fundamental elements (cf. Hydén’s forgotten 1960s findings). This also seems compatible with both (i) information-technology’s digitisation, and (ii) Piaget’s concepts of “schèmes,” and developmental stages. For the more-complex code-structures (“schémata”) needed for higher Piagetian stages, their necessary physical configuration is then considered — packable into virus-like “boxes” (capsids —typically 125nm diameter). These could be free to relocate into cortex-“archives” — either within Rakic’s migratory new-neurons, or the bloodstream! Such ultra-miniaturisation needs to communicate by INFRA-RED signals — via myelin coaxial cables, but also somewhat free to operate rad...

Users are permitted to use this article for single-copy non-commercial purposes provided that the... more Users are permitted to use this article for single-copy non-commercial purposes provided that the original authorship is properly and fully attributed to both author and publisher. If an article is subsequently reproduced or disseminate not in its entirety but only in part or as a derivative work, this must be clearly indicated. For commercial or multi-copy permissions, please contact Copyright Agency Limited:

Journal of physics, Dec 13, 2011

Kybernetes, 1978

Speculations in Science and Technology, 1988