Inferring Representation Type from the Fractal Dimension of
Biological Communication Waveforms
Ron Eglash
Journal of Social and Evolutionary Systems , 16(4), 375-399 (1993)
Abstract
Digital representation is based on an arbitrary relation between physical
signal structure and assigned meanings; analog representation uses a
proportionality between changes in meaning and changes in the physical
structure of the signal that represents the meaning. For recursive
information, the physical structure of the analog signal will also be
recursive. Since a digital signal will be physically arbitrary for both
recursive and non-recursive information, a measure of physical recursion
can provide an index for analog/digital differences. A simple model
for this relation is examined by computational experiment for spectral
density, and by analytic expression for Kolmogorov complexity. It is
examined by empirical measure of fractal dimension for samples of a
capella music, poetry, and prose, in a comparison of rap vs. raggae music,
and for cetacean vocalization. Generalizations of this analysis for
other communication systems are discussed.
1/f in music and speech section