Re: Difference between cognition and perception? (Peter Lennox )

Subject: Re: Difference between cognition and perception?
From:    Peter Lennox  <peter(at)LENNOX01.FREESERVE.CO.UK>
Date:    Tue, 13 Apr 2004 20:46:58 +0100

This rather interesting question impinges on models of perception generally.
If one holds that there is a substantive difference, and that cognition
rests on, and adds to, perception, then the distinction should be sharply
drawn. If, however, one holds that there is no good reason for drawing such
a distinction so clearly, then one treats perception and cognition as
holistically bound together, or even as different words for essentially the
same type of process.
My hunch is to suspect that the distinction is one that we've inherited as
axiomatic from Ancient Greek thought. Perception seems more closely tied to
sensation, and so is largely event-driven, whilst cognition is more
associated with the nuts and bolts of 'thinking about' things, and so is
more symbol-driven, a little more 'top-down'. So it has sometimes been
possible to to talk about 'direct perception' (sometimes, but not always, in
the same context as 'sense-perceptions'), but I don't remember coming across
'direct cognition'.
I'd rather like a clearer idea of the distinction, too.
regards
ppl

----- Original Message -----
From: "Andrew Milne" <andymilne(at)DIAL.PIPEX.COM>
To: <AUDITORY(at)LISTS.MCGILL.CA>
Sent: 13 April 2004 19:17
Subject: Re: Difference between cognition and perception?


> How odd -- I asked an almost identical question on the sci.cognitive
> newgroup back in 1997. I wrote:
>
>     Hi there everyone,
>
>     I am looking for some reasonably precise definitions that are able to
>     elucidate the difference between "perception" and "cognition", as well
>     as any other concepts that may be relevant.
>
>     My general intuition would be that the process by which a physical
>     stimulus becomes a mental "state" is:
>
>     stimulus --> (transduction?) --> perception --> cognition -->
(qualia?)
>
>     Are there more stages in this overall process, or less, or in a
>     different order?
>
>     Any help would be gratefully received.
>
>
> I received no response. I would also love to hear if anyone can provide a
> "definitive" defintion ;)
>
> Andy Milne
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Woojay Jeon" <wjjeon(at)ECE.GATECH.EDU>
> To: <AUDITORY(at)LISTS.MCGILL.CA>
> Sent: Tuesday, April 13, 2004 6:34 PM
> Subject: Difference between cognition and perception?
>
>
> > Hello,
> >
> > I am wondering if anyone can clarify the exact difference between
> > "cognition" and "perception", at least in terms of acoustics, and also
> > provide some examples illustrating the difference?
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Woojay Jeon