Prof. Dr. Albrecht von Müller | Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (original) (raw)
Papers by Prof. Dr. Albrecht von Müller
Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, 1989
Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Jul 2, 1986
Internationalisierung, 1997
Method and device for assisting in the selection of an object to be determined from a group of st... more Method and device for assisting in the selection of an object to be determined from a group of stored objects, each stored object is defined by a stored characteristic constellation comprising a plurality of features, each feature having at least one feature type and at least one occurrence. To support the selection of a computing device, an input device and a display device are provided. The display device includes a display area and at least one separate selection area thereof. With the input means comprises a plurality of features can be input to be determined and graphically represented object in each case in the display area by an icon. The coordinates of the symbol in the display area are determined in a first dimension by the feature type and in a second dimension by the importance of the feature. In the display area represented by a constellation symbols characteristic of the object to be determined is graphically plotted multidimensional and thus visually represented as a c...
The notion of analogy will be considered in its broadest possible sense, namely as a mode of reas... more The notion of analogy will be considered in its broadest possible sense, namely as a mode of reasoning or problem-solving in which a phenomenon, or a quantity, or an object, or a class of objects, or even a category of objects, is intentionally compared to another in order to establish similarity of relationship. Moreover, of the two particular instances between which a resemblance (similarity of relationship) is established, one is generally not directly comprehensible, while the other is assumed to be better or more easily tractable. It is important to clarify that according to the above, an analogical relation bears the semantics of a resemblance not between instances, but between the relations of instances. Thus, an analogy is a resemblance relation, involving (at least) two terms, each of which is itself a relation.
Quantum Studies: Mathematics and Foundations
Deutsches Jahrbuch Philosophie
Frontiers in Psychology, Oct 16, 2017
Concept and Formalization of Constellatory Self-Unfolding
The notion of a topological or geometric phase has been introduced in quantum mechanics by Berry ... more The notion of a topological or geometric phase has been introduced in quantum mechanics by Berry in 1984, and generalized by Aharonov and Anandan 2 years later in 1986. The conceptual precursors of this astonishing discovery, which has been unnoticed in the foundations of quantum theory for more than 60 years, is the work of Pancharatnam in polarization optics and the Aharonov–Bohm effect in electromagnetism. In 1956 Pancharatnam realized that in order to understand interference phenomena it is not required to know the absolute phase, but only the relative phase difference between light beams in different states of polarization. For two light beams this relative phase is given by the phase argument of their complex-valued scalar inner product. Actually all the typical global quantum mechanical observables are relative phases obtained by interference phenomena. These phenomena involve various splitting and recombination processes of beams whose global coherence is measured precisely by some relative phase difference. If we consider an external time parametrization of interference phenomena, then the relative phase global observable can be thought of as the physical attribute measuring the coherence between two histories of events sharing a common initial and final temporal point.
Frontiers in Neurology
Background: Making the correct diagnosis of patients presenting with vertigo and dizziness in cli... more Background: Making the correct diagnosis of patients presenting with vertigo and dizziness in clinical practice is often challenging. Objective: In this study we examined the performance of the iPad based program medx in the prediction of different clinical vertigo and dizziness diagnoses and as a diagnostic tool to distinguish between them.
Frontiers in Psychology
Coherence-building is a key concept for a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms of in... more Coherence-building is a key concept for a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms of intuition and insight problem solving. There are several accounts that address certain aspects of coherence-building. However, there is still no proper framework defining the general principles of coherence-building. We propose a fourstage model of coherence-building. The first stage starts with spreading activation restricted by constraints. This dynamic is a well-defined rule based process. The second stage is characterized by detecting a coherent state. We adopted a fluency account assuming that the ease of information processing indicates the realization of a coherent state. The third stage is designated to evaluate the result of the coherence-building process and assess whether the given problem is solved or not. If the coherent state does not fit the requirements of the task, the process re-enters at stage 1. These three stages characterize intuition. For insight problem solving a fourth stage is necessary, which restructures the given representation after repeated failure, so that a new search space results. The new search space enables new coherent states. We provide a review of the most important findings, outline our model, present a large number of examples, deduce potential new paradigms and measures that might help to decipher the underlying cognitive processes.
On Thinking, 2015
The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this p... more The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use.
Complexity, 2008
Results are presented of a simulation which mimics an evolutionary learning process for small net... more Results are presented of a simulation which mimics an evolutionary learning process for small networks. Special features of these networks include a high recurrency, a transition function which decreases for large input activities, and the absence of tunable weights attached to the lines-the line is either there (weight 1) or absent (weight 0). It is remarkable that already these simple systems exhibit a complex learning behavior and the phenomenon of punctuated equilibrium in the evolutionary process. These findings should be of interest for both, the general understanding of evolutionary dynamics and, more specifically, the understanding of the role of recurrence in combination with non-monotic response patterns for learning processes.
Cognition, 2014
We propose a new approach to differentiate between insight and noninsight problem solving, by int... more We propose a new approach to differentiate between insight and noninsight problem solving, by introducing magic tricks as problem solving domain. We argue that magic tricks are ideally suited to investigate representational change, the key mechanism that yields sudden insight into the solution of a problem, because in order to gain insight into the magicians' secret method, observers must overcome implicit constraints and thus change their problem representation. In Experiment 1, 50 participants were exposed to 34 different magic tricks, asking them to find out how the trick was accomplished. Upon solving a trick, participants indicated if they had reached the solution either with or without insight. Insight was reported in 41.1% of solutions. The new task domain revealed differences in solution accuracy, time course and solution confidence with insight solutions being more likely to be true, reached earlier, and obtaining higher confidence ratings. In Experiment 2, we explored which role self-imposed constraints actually play in magic tricks. 62 participants were presented with 12 magic tricks. One group received verbal cues, providing solution relevant information without giving the solution away. The control group received no informative cue. Experiment 2 showed that participants' constraints were suggestible to verbal cues, resulting in higher solution rates. Thus, magic tricks provide more detailed information about the differences between insightful and noninsightful problem solving, and the underlying mechanisms that are necessary to have an insight.
Annalen der Physik, 2010
Underlying any theory of physics is a layer of conceptual frames. They connect the mathematical s... more Underlying any theory of physics is a layer of conceptual frames. They connect the mathematical structures used in theoretical models with physical phenomena, but they also constitute our fundamental assumptions about reality. Many of the discrepancies between quantum physics and classical physics (including Maxwell's electrodynamics and relativity) can be traced back to these categorical foundations. We argue that classical physics corresponds to the factual aspects of reality and requires a categorical framework which consists of four interdependent components: boolean logic, the linear-sequential notion of time, the principle of sufficient reason, and the dichotomy between observer and observed. None of these can be dropped without affecting the others. However, in quantum theory the reduction postulate also addresses the "status nascendi" of facts, i.e., their coming into being. Therefore, quantum phyics requires a different conceptual framework which will be elaborated in this article. It is shown that many of its components are already present in the standard formalisms of quantum physics, but in most cases they are highlighted not so much from a conceptual perspective but more from their mathematical structures. The categorical frame underlying quantum physics includes a profoundly different notion of time which encompasses a crucial role for the present.
Pugwash Conference on, 1988
This is not a traditional paper. It is impossible to write a comprehensive introduction on the is... more This is not a traditional paper. It is impossible to write a comprehensive introduction on the issue of conventional stability without drastically exceeding the format of background papers for Pugwash Conferences. On the other hand, due to the complexity which is characteristic of conventional stability, even an introduction would not be worthwhile if it did not at least give an idea of the various determining factors and their interdependencies. For this reason, I chose to present a structured overview of the core aspects and arguments, instead of writing a traditional paper. In the following I will touch upon eight topics crucial for the understanding of conventional stability: the political goals behind the striving for stabilization in the conventional realm; the two military effects of conventional stability: deterrence against intentional attack and structural provisions against inadvertent crisis escalation; the net-deterrence equation, or why detente can enhance deterrence; the dynamics of crisis escalation and how it can be interrupted; an operational definition of conventional stability; the need for a much better integration of arms control policies and force modernization; outlines of a stability-oriented modernization; outlines of a stability-oriented arms control regime.
The Foundations of Defensive Defence, 1990
The political long-term goal is clear: a peaceful transformation of the East—West conflict throug... more The political long-term goal is clear: a peaceful transformation of the East—West conflict through marginalisation of its military stratum. Even if it has become a dirty word to some people on the western side of the Atlantic, I will not shy away from referring to this as a ‘second detente’; the difference from the first being that this time attention is focused not only on political and economic relations, but also on a true reduction of existing military threats in Europe. This could lead to real conflict transformation and detente being made irreversible.
The Foundations of Defensive Defence, 1990
Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, 1989
Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Jul 2, 1986
Internationalisierung, 1997
Method and device for assisting in the selection of an object to be determined from a group of st... more Method and device for assisting in the selection of an object to be determined from a group of stored objects, each stored object is defined by a stored characteristic constellation comprising a plurality of features, each feature having at least one feature type and at least one occurrence. To support the selection of a computing device, an input device and a display device are provided. The display device includes a display area and at least one separate selection area thereof. With the input means comprises a plurality of features can be input to be determined and graphically represented object in each case in the display area by an icon. The coordinates of the symbol in the display area are determined in a first dimension by the feature type and in a second dimension by the importance of the feature. In the display area represented by a constellation symbols characteristic of the object to be determined is graphically plotted multidimensional and thus visually represented as a c...
The notion of analogy will be considered in its broadest possible sense, namely as a mode of reas... more The notion of analogy will be considered in its broadest possible sense, namely as a mode of reasoning or problem-solving in which a phenomenon, or a quantity, or an object, or a class of objects, or even a category of objects, is intentionally compared to another in order to establish similarity of relationship. Moreover, of the two particular instances between which a resemblance (similarity of relationship) is established, one is generally not directly comprehensible, while the other is assumed to be better or more easily tractable. It is important to clarify that according to the above, an analogical relation bears the semantics of a resemblance not between instances, but between the relations of instances. Thus, an analogy is a resemblance relation, involving (at least) two terms, each of which is itself a relation.
Quantum Studies: Mathematics and Foundations
Deutsches Jahrbuch Philosophie
Frontiers in Psychology, Oct 16, 2017
Concept and Formalization of Constellatory Self-Unfolding
The notion of a topological or geometric phase has been introduced in quantum mechanics by Berry ... more The notion of a topological or geometric phase has been introduced in quantum mechanics by Berry in 1984, and generalized by Aharonov and Anandan 2 years later in 1986. The conceptual precursors of this astonishing discovery, which has been unnoticed in the foundations of quantum theory for more than 60 years, is the work of Pancharatnam in polarization optics and the Aharonov–Bohm effect in electromagnetism. In 1956 Pancharatnam realized that in order to understand interference phenomena it is not required to know the absolute phase, but only the relative phase difference between light beams in different states of polarization. For two light beams this relative phase is given by the phase argument of their complex-valued scalar inner product. Actually all the typical global quantum mechanical observables are relative phases obtained by interference phenomena. These phenomena involve various splitting and recombination processes of beams whose global coherence is measured precisely by some relative phase difference. If we consider an external time parametrization of interference phenomena, then the relative phase global observable can be thought of as the physical attribute measuring the coherence between two histories of events sharing a common initial and final temporal point.
Frontiers in Neurology
Background: Making the correct diagnosis of patients presenting with vertigo and dizziness in cli... more Background: Making the correct diagnosis of patients presenting with vertigo and dizziness in clinical practice is often challenging. Objective: In this study we examined the performance of the iPad based program medx in the prediction of different clinical vertigo and dizziness diagnoses and as a diagnostic tool to distinguish between them.
Frontiers in Psychology
Coherence-building is a key concept for a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms of in... more Coherence-building is a key concept for a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms of intuition and insight problem solving. There are several accounts that address certain aspects of coherence-building. However, there is still no proper framework defining the general principles of coherence-building. We propose a fourstage model of coherence-building. The first stage starts with spreading activation restricted by constraints. This dynamic is a well-defined rule based process. The second stage is characterized by detecting a coherent state. We adopted a fluency account assuming that the ease of information processing indicates the realization of a coherent state. The third stage is designated to evaluate the result of the coherence-building process and assess whether the given problem is solved or not. If the coherent state does not fit the requirements of the task, the process re-enters at stage 1. These three stages characterize intuition. For insight problem solving a fourth stage is necessary, which restructures the given representation after repeated failure, so that a new search space results. The new search space enables new coherent states. We provide a review of the most important findings, outline our model, present a large number of examples, deduce potential new paradigms and measures that might help to decipher the underlying cognitive processes.
On Thinking, 2015
The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this p... more The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use.
Complexity, 2008
Results are presented of a simulation which mimics an evolutionary learning process for small net... more Results are presented of a simulation which mimics an evolutionary learning process for small networks. Special features of these networks include a high recurrency, a transition function which decreases for large input activities, and the absence of tunable weights attached to the lines-the line is either there (weight 1) or absent (weight 0). It is remarkable that already these simple systems exhibit a complex learning behavior and the phenomenon of punctuated equilibrium in the evolutionary process. These findings should be of interest for both, the general understanding of evolutionary dynamics and, more specifically, the understanding of the role of recurrence in combination with non-monotic response patterns for learning processes.
Cognition, 2014
We propose a new approach to differentiate between insight and noninsight problem solving, by int... more We propose a new approach to differentiate between insight and noninsight problem solving, by introducing magic tricks as problem solving domain. We argue that magic tricks are ideally suited to investigate representational change, the key mechanism that yields sudden insight into the solution of a problem, because in order to gain insight into the magicians' secret method, observers must overcome implicit constraints and thus change their problem representation. In Experiment 1, 50 participants were exposed to 34 different magic tricks, asking them to find out how the trick was accomplished. Upon solving a trick, participants indicated if they had reached the solution either with or without insight. Insight was reported in 41.1% of solutions. The new task domain revealed differences in solution accuracy, time course and solution confidence with insight solutions being more likely to be true, reached earlier, and obtaining higher confidence ratings. In Experiment 2, we explored which role self-imposed constraints actually play in magic tricks. 62 participants were presented with 12 magic tricks. One group received verbal cues, providing solution relevant information without giving the solution away. The control group received no informative cue. Experiment 2 showed that participants' constraints were suggestible to verbal cues, resulting in higher solution rates. Thus, magic tricks provide more detailed information about the differences between insightful and noninsightful problem solving, and the underlying mechanisms that are necessary to have an insight.
Annalen der Physik, 2010
Underlying any theory of physics is a layer of conceptual frames. They connect the mathematical s... more Underlying any theory of physics is a layer of conceptual frames. They connect the mathematical structures used in theoretical models with physical phenomena, but they also constitute our fundamental assumptions about reality. Many of the discrepancies between quantum physics and classical physics (including Maxwell's electrodynamics and relativity) can be traced back to these categorical foundations. We argue that classical physics corresponds to the factual aspects of reality and requires a categorical framework which consists of four interdependent components: boolean logic, the linear-sequential notion of time, the principle of sufficient reason, and the dichotomy between observer and observed. None of these can be dropped without affecting the others. However, in quantum theory the reduction postulate also addresses the "status nascendi" of facts, i.e., their coming into being. Therefore, quantum phyics requires a different conceptual framework which will be elaborated in this article. It is shown that many of its components are already present in the standard formalisms of quantum physics, but in most cases they are highlighted not so much from a conceptual perspective but more from their mathematical structures. The categorical frame underlying quantum physics includes a profoundly different notion of time which encompasses a crucial role for the present.
Pugwash Conference on, 1988
This is not a traditional paper. It is impossible to write a comprehensive introduction on the is... more This is not a traditional paper. It is impossible to write a comprehensive introduction on the issue of conventional stability without drastically exceeding the format of background papers for Pugwash Conferences. On the other hand, due to the complexity which is characteristic of conventional stability, even an introduction would not be worthwhile if it did not at least give an idea of the various determining factors and their interdependencies. For this reason, I chose to present a structured overview of the core aspects and arguments, instead of writing a traditional paper. In the following I will touch upon eight topics crucial for the understanding of conventional stability: the political goals behind the striving for stabilization in the conventional realm; the two military effects of conventional stability: deterrence against intentional attack and structural provisions against inadvertent crisis escalation; the net-deterrence equation, or why detente can enhance deterrence; the dynamics of crisis escalation and how it can be interrupted; an operational definition of conventional stability; the need for a much better integration of arms control policies and force modernization; outlines of a stability-oriented modernization; outlines of a stability-oriented arms control regime.
The Foundations of Defensive Defence, 1990
The political long-term goal is clear: a peaceful transformation of the East—West conflict throug... more The political long-term goal is clear: a peaceful transformation of the East—West conflict through marginalisation of its military stratum. Even if it has become a dirty word to some people on the western side of the Atlantic, I will not shy away from referring to this as a ‘second detente’; the difference from the first being that this time attention is focused not only on political and economic relations, but also on a true reduction of existing military threats in Europe. This could lead to real conflict transformation and detente being made irreversible.
The Foundations of Defensive Defence, 1990