Subject: Re: Melodic consonance From: Alexandra Hettergott <a.hettergott(at)WANADOO.FR> Date: Wed, 12 Jul 2000 16:06:51 +0200From: Peter Cariani <peter(at)epl.meei.harvard.edu> Thank you for your interesting answer (the temporal auto-correlation mechanism, btw, having been mentioned by Roederer (1977: 56-58, 60, 63/64, German ed.), too -- a book that I do (still) appreciate because of its globally considering the relations between the different domains). My question, however, does concern the (extended) Gestalt aspect in general, as to : >The Gestaltists [...] argued instead for relational representations >based on patterns (relational primitives). In this respect they have >commonalities with the Gibsonians in looking for iconic, analog patterns >and the means of extracting invariances from them. For the Gestaltists, >perceptual Gestalts were thought to be the experiential consequences of >the global features of these neural activity patterns. What I would be interested in is, whether or not (in your opinion) the relational reference patterns are exclusively due to (the (coherent) experience of) "global features" in the (physical) stimuli (and hence the corresponding neural activity), as, e.g., it seems to be the case for the so-called auditory memory (and (probably) proceeding from the universalities in human voice/speech), or does there (too) exist something like a (universal) "natural predisposition" (like the ability for (spoken, and, apparently to a lesser necessity, written) language acquisition in a certain age) to acquire certain patterns or configurations (i.e., them having a certain preference), in dependence on their being structured (e.g., a periodic signal) ? (In short, not only a post- yet also some pre-configuration of neuronal patterns ; e.g., arguing in the opposite direction, with vowels being harmonic for us preferring periodic signals, sort of due to "economic" reasons ?) -- And, (hypothetically) taking the latter (i.e., a disposition) for given, do there exist further individual (and even culturally determined) differences in the creation/organization of those "data banks" of reference patterns, e.g., of either qualitative or quantitative nature ? Thank you in advance, Alexandra Hettergott (sorry, it has been meant to boldly been sent to the list). _______________________ Alexandra Hettergott 1, avenue des Gobelins /bo=EEte 23 F-75005 Paris/France T=E9l/fax: +33-(0)1-43 31 41 27 M=E9l: a.hettergott(at)wanadoo.fr http://perso.wanadoo.fr/a.hettergott/ ... la noche, peque=F1os ruidos ... sombra y espacio, tierra y tiempo, algo que corre y cae y pasa ... (Pablo Neruda)