Setting
Delay. [YELLOW HIGHLIGHTS].4-Node Standard
Example
Representation: Nodes
Instructions
Now that we've analyzed the 4_Node Standard system, let's run it and watch the nodes twinkle. Full instructions are below. FIRST, click the DELAY button, then click the PLAY button.
The nodes will change states (twinkle) in a pattern that reflects
the shifts inherent to the basin the system is in.
Which basin is (Alpha, Beta, Gamma) the system in?
Fundamental epistemological question posed by a dynamic ecology to all sentient beings include noticing which basin system is in and noticing when the dynamics shift from one basin to another. Which repetitive pattern of movement is the prey in at this moment? A predator needs to be able to extract basin patterns from the enviroment and adjust its behavior to the differences in those patterns.
By this time you have analytic knowledge of the 4-Node Standard system's basin structure. Now we are exploring how different ways of representing the flow of abstract relations impact your ability to extract the patterns. This applet allows you to see the basin patterns of the 4-Node Standard system by observing the changing states of the nodes.
Layout: The four green nodes you see on the applet are arranged in two rows of two nodes each. The nodes on the top row, from the left, correspond to nodes A and B in our analysis of the system. The bottom row, from the left, shows nodes C and D.
One Iteration Forward (Double Black Arrow). It may be easier to examine the pattern if you can move the system forward one iteration at a time. The Double Black Arrow allows you to do this. If you wish you can move the system through its cycle in this way and decide which basin (Alpha, Beta, Gamma) it is in. If the system is running, press STOP. Then press the double black arrow. You the nodes shift their pattern to the next iteration.
Perturbing the System. The Perturb button allows you to pseudo-randomly change the state of some percentage of the system's nodes. If you do that does it change to another basin? Which?
We have found other ways of representing the dynamics to be more useful (Smilie3, Motion Smilie). They will be examined in other applets. [Go to Smilie 3.}
The purpose of this applet is to allow you to become fluid in thinking about how a dynamic system works and to begin to think about the impact of the way dynamics are represented has on pattern extraction.
Instructions Top
Setting
Delay. [YELLOW HIGHLIGHTS].
WHY?: Adjusting your Computer's speed to your Monitor's speed: Most monitors cannot paint accurately faster than 66 to 77 times per second. In this class dynamic systems, we ask the computer to paint each iteration of the system to the screen. Depending on the how fast your computer is (it's clock speed mega-Hz or giga-Hz and what type of video card it has) this software may send requests to paint images 1000 or more times per second. Once the iterations per second is higher that 65 or 70 iterations per second (ips) what you see on the screen is some undetermined interaction between your monitor hardware and the behavior of the dynamic system. In other words, you aren't seeing the behavior of the system any more, you are seeing that part of the behavior that the screen happens to capture.
Solution. Click on the Use Speed radio button (highlighted in yellow). Then drag the Delay (between iterations) Slider (highlighted in yellow) from its (very slow) 250 millisecond delay between iterations down to some lower value that gives you a good sense of dynamic motion in the output. As we said, you generally want the the iterations per second (ips) to between 20 ips and 60 ips, although it seems to work well in this case as low as 6 to 8 ips. You your judgment as this is about your perception.
If your computer is slow, you may not need to use the Speed control. Top
Iterations per Second (ips). [HIGHLIGHTED IN LAVENDER].
When you push PLAY, you generally want to have the iterations per second indicator (just to the left of the double black arrow on the control bar) to be between 20 and 60 ips. This range allows you to perceive apparent motion effects but is within your monitor's ability to paint the screen. Obtaining this range may require setting the delay (see below) between iterations.
One Iteration Forward Button. [HIGHLITED IN PALE BLUE].
Sometimes it is useful for finding pattern to move the system forward one iteration at a time. The double black arrow (next to the green Play button) moves the system forward one iteration each time you click it.
Perturbing the System. [HIGHLIGHTED IN GREEN].
Perturb Button. Perturbation of a system by changing the states of one or more nodes might (or might not) shift the system to a different basin. The Perturb button will pseudo-randomly change the state of given percentage of nodes. The percentage of nodes perturbed is selected by the user.
Slider. The slider (highlighted in green) allows you to select what percentage from, 0 to 100, of the nodes will have their state changed pseudo-randomly. The exact percentage chosen by the user is indicated (green highlight) to the right of the slider scale.
Note that any unconnected nodes (the top thirty nodes in the image) will pseudo-randomly change their values (white to black or black to white) when the Perturb button is pressed. Because they are unconnected, their changes of value will have not effect on the system. Top
Sizing the Viewing Area. [ORANGE HIGHLIGHTS].
Resize Viewing Area. [ORANGE HIGHLIGHTS]. The dimpled bar between the Controls and the Output Frame (Viewing Area) can be dragged in either direction (as indicated by black arrows). This allows you to adjust the viewing area to see more or less TAO levels.
Full-Interface Viewing Area. [ORANGE HIGHLIGHTS (Top)]. Once you have the controls set as you like them you can eliminate them and see more derivatives by clicking on the little left-pointing arrow at the top of the bar dividing the controls from the output frame. Clicking the right-point arrow will return the controls to view. You can also grab the dividing bar and drag one way are another to size the parts of the interface the way you want.
Pseudo-Randomness. This is a deterministic system and therefore probability is not a concept that applies to its behavior. So it is worth noting that the pseudo-random changes that are part of some functions (e.g., perturb button) are deterministic, although so irregular as to fit human perception of randomness (which is a probability concept).