Modulation of light at 3 and 6 kMc is achieved by applying a superimposed electrostatic and microwave field to a carbon-disulfide Kerr-cell which is incorporated within the high-electric-field region of a resonant cavity. The development of this light shutter requires the analysis of the Kerr effect under circumstances in which the transit time of light is appreciable. A Kerr cell whose length is such that the transit time of light is one-half the period of the modulating microwave field proves to have particular advantages over other designs. The light shutter is realized with a re-entrant microwave cavity with provision for the application of electrostatic as well as microwave fields. At about 26-kv dc and 10-kw pulsed 3-kMc ac power, the system modulates a light beam of several milliwatts radiant power up to 80%.

A two-parameter basilar membrane model with uniform geometry, mass, and stiffness distribution is studied. The exact solution of the equation of motion is obtained. For certain model configurations the displacement patterns of the membrane consist of traveling waves and damped standing waves. A place principle is observed with the direction of the shift governed by the relative magnitudes of the model parameters. The qualitative effect of a stiffness gradient along the membrane on the place principle is discussed. Thresholds, with respect to frequency, are found that suggestthat the location of the low-frequency threshold depends only on the membrane length.

Key words: self-organization, game theory

Key words: Self-organization, game theory

One of the primary problems in statistical mechanics is to find in a system of a large number of freely interacting elements (particles) the distribution of the available energy over all elements which will be observed in most of the cases when the number of elements N1 are counted which possess energies that fall within an “energy-bracket” Ei ± ½δ of width δE; (i = 1, 2, 3, …). In a conservative system in which the number of elements, N, and the available energy, E, are given and remain unchanged, the most probable distribution is, of course, Boltzmann’s distribution function which maximizes the entropy of the system and has the form of a decaying exponential Ni = No exp(-Ei/E*), in which E*, a universal parameter for this system, is the average energy per particle, and expresses through the Boltzmann’s constant k (1.378 ergs/centigrade) the “temperature” T of the system T = E*/k.

Excerpt from the introduction: “Can machines be intelligent?” “Can machines think and understand?” These are questions of epistemology. Since the concepts of intelligence, thinking, and understanding have been thought of until recently only in the context of mental activity in homo sapiens (or other species), these questions should only be asked when we know what we mean by intelligence and thinking, or when we have an “understanding ot “understanding.” ” The formulation in quotes suggests that the fundamental issue associated with these concepts is the epistemology of recursion, that is of concepts being applied to themselves. The issue here is not an isolated case, as indicated by the numerous attempts to grasp the logic of self-referring concepts (1), for instance self-reproduction (the reproduction of reproduction) (2), self-explanation (the explanation of explanation) (3), autonomy, i.e. self-regulation (the regulation of regulation) (4, 5), and many more.