The physicality of representation

Abstract

Representation is typically taken to be importantly separate from its physical implementation. This is exemplified in Marr's three-level framework, widely cited and often adopted in neuroscience. However, the separation between representation and physical implementation is not a necessary feature of information-processing systems. In particular, when it comes to analog computational systems, Marr's representational/algorithmic level and implementational level collapse into a single level. Insofar as analog computation is a better way of understanding neural computation than other notions, Marr's three-level framework must then be amended into a two-level framework. However, far from being a problem or limitation, this sheds lights on how to understand physical media as being representational, but without a separate, medium-independent representational level.

Redundancy and Reducibility in the Formats of Spatial Representations

“…The goal of this paper is not to make any strong claims along these lines; it is to discuss 'format' in the broadest possible sense, sidestepping these nitty-gritty semantics for now. However, it may be helpful to keep in mind Marr's three levels of analysis as a reference point (Marr, 1982; see also Maley, 2021 for a useful and thoughtful discussion). The highest level, the computational level, describes what is being represented.…”