Prelude
a b c d e f g
Contents
i ii iii iv
Dieu et mon droit
1 2 3 4 5 6
1 Tat Tvam Asi
7 8 9 10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 20 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 30 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
2 Mechanics of Evolution
9 40 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 50 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 60 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 70 1 2
3 Environment
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 80 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 90 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 100 1 2
4 Physiology of the Individual
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 110 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 120 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 130 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 140
5 Fabric of Society
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 150 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 160 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 170 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 180 1 2 3 4 5 6
6 The Shrine of Content
7 8 9 190 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 200 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 210 1 2 3 4 5 6
7 In His Own Image
7 8 9 220 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 230 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 240 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
8 In Search of Enlightenment
9 250 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 260 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 270 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 280 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 290 1 2
9 Mutation
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 300 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 310 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 320 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 330 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 340
10 Power of Prayer
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 350 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 360 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 370 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 380
11 Revelation
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 390 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 400 1 2 3 4
Bibliograpy
5 6 7 8 9 410 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 420
Index
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 430 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 440 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 450 1 2 3 4 5 6

While the consideration of aesthetic needs is delicate, the consideration of cognitive needs relative to the transcendent personal device is relatively straightforward. The primary concerns are parallel computing capability, language capability and memory. In considering the derivation of human needs in Chapter 5, we suggested that a precursor to the development of cognitive needs was the establishment of context. This facility within the human brain would seem to occur as a characteristic of the multiple processing pathways enabled by neural networks connecting sensory input with motor control output. Sensory input such as signals from the myriad of sensors in the eyes feed into multiple, parallel neural network structures. Similar signal processing activities are performed on the raw input and a refined image is transferred downstream within each network. Ultimately, it would appear that these images arrive at a variety of neuron constructs where some particular contextual situation is recognized as preeminent among all the various choices. Various, perhaps subtle, indicators are identified through cognitive pre-processors so as to establish that an image of another person drawing back an arm is, for example, a pitcher in a baseball game rather than an attacker with a knife. Once constrained within the appropriate context, cognitive functions can metaphorically interpret the sensory input and then more efficiently guide appropriate motor responses. In order for the transcendent personal device to facilitate support for the cognitive needs of the human mind of its bearer, it would be most useful if it could better establish appropriate context for the situations that it becomes aware of through its sensory input from the outside world.

The human mind is capable of multiple, simultaneous cognitive activities. Some are reflexive, some are the products of unconscious or subconscious processing, and some are functions of conscious activity. A single threaded computer, if clocked at a high enough rate and with significant interrupt facilities can approximate such multiple streams of processing. However, true replication of this facility will be greatly enhanced by actual multi-processor architectures. We suggest that multi-processor configurations can be effectively utilized both within the device body as well as in its trusted core agent.

In concert with memory enhancements, the evolved trusted core agents can certainly use the benefit of these multi-processor configurations. Current secure cores that provide cryptographic services already include a peripheral processor in addition to the main processor. This peripheral processor is capable of performing long integer multiply operations at a very high speed, a computation that is essential for public key cryptography. A true multi-processor facility would allow the token to further enhance its security characteristics as well as be better able to involve itself in multiple, simultaneous transactions. As we noted in the first chapter, the ability to deal with the programming and provisioning of parallel processing threads is something of an art form, related in style to the composition of music in chords. As a consequence, a derivative requirement from cognitive needs is that of programming language support. Moreover, language capabilities to support logical reasoning are mandated by the self-actualization need related to social system ontologies.

Memory enhancements derive from the discussions in the last chapter in which context was presented as an integral aspect of memory. In this case, we suggest that the device memory should encompass knowledge base facilities that allow a tight integration between information and its relevant processing.

Cognitive Needs