Re: Difference between cognition and perception?

[Dan Tollin <tollin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

List,

  Some might argue that reflexes are an optimal respose to a given
situation since they are rapid and have obvious benefit.  Reflexes would
seem to fit your description of cognition.  For example, touching a hot
stove results in a quick movement of the hand away from the stove.
Following your definition, one could interpret this sequence of events
as a simple 'perception' of heat by the thermoreceptors of the skin
which is then followed by a simple 'cognition' of this input which is
comprehended as 'bad' resulting ultimately in the 'decision' to move the
hand away from the stove in an optimal fashion.   

However, I'd wager that most people would not classify reflexes as
something that requires 'cognition.'  Additionally, once you define
'cognition' using terms like 'meaning' and 'comprehending' and
'displayed information' then you've got to define what those terms mean.


Daniel J Tollin, PhD




> -----Original Message-----
> From: John K. Bates [mailto:jkbates@COMPUTER.NET] 
> Sent: Wednesday, April 14, 2004 12:59 PM
> To: AUDITORY@LISTS.MCGILL.CA
> Subject: Re: Difference between cognition and perception?
> 
> 
> Dear List,
>     How about considering the following generalized 
> definitions of perception and cognition? I think that they 
> could apply to all systems, biological or manufactured, that 
> use sensors for the purpose of optimizing performance and/or 
> preventing failure.
> 
> Perception: The process of receiving, separating, and 
> presenting for interpretation the information contained in an 
> incoming stream of data.
> 
> Cognition: The process of interpreting the meanings of 
> situations as represented by the displayed information. 
> Comprehending these meanings enables an optimum response.
> 
> These definitions were derived from my operational analysis 
> of auditory perception available at:
>      <http://home.computer.net/~jkbates>
> 
>        Best regards,
>              John Bates
>