The following is a list of publications by the late Donald MacKay, formerly of the Physics Dept., Kings College, London, and subsequently Granada Research Professor of Communication, University of Keele. The list was prepared by Donald at some date in the sixties, and one copy was given to Alex Andrew. There are many later publications, since Donald remained active till his death on February 6, 1987. His later work was more specifically directed to neuroscience and in one of his obituaries the department he headed in Keele University is referred to as the Department of Communication and Neuroscience. Obituaries can be found in Nature, 2nd April 1987 (by H.C. Longuet-Higgins) and in Kybernetes, 16, no. 3, p. 189, 1987 (by A.M. Andrew).


LIST OF PUBLICATIONS


D.M. MacKay, B.Sc., Ph.D.


This list does not include a number of Admiralty reports, semi-popular articles, broadcast talks, reviews, and the like. The Admiralty reports dealt entirely with electronics.



  1. A Multiple-pulse Generator for Synchronized Transmitter Systems;
    J.Inst.Elec.Engrs. 1946, 93, 111A, 1199

  2. A high-speed electronic function-generator;
    Nature, 1947, 159, 406

  3. Some new aspects of high-speed oscillography;
    Proc.Phys.Soc., 1948, 61, 235

  4. (With Deeley, E.M.)
    Multiplication and division by electronic-analogue mehods;
    Nature, 1949, 163, 650

  5. Projective three-dimensional displays;
    Electronic Engg. 1949, 21, 249 and 281.

  6. On the Combination of Digital and Analogue Computing Techniques in the design of Analyical
    engines (20. 5. 49)
    Mimeographed. (Reprinted as Appendix to ref. 42).

  7. Quantal Aspects of Scientific Information;
    Phil. Mag., 1950, 41, 289

  8. Idem. (A more general presentation of the ideas in 7);
    Proceedings of Information-theory Symposium, London, Sept. 1950
    Lithoprinted 1953, Amer. Inst. Radio Engrs.

  9. The Nomenclature of Information-theory;
    Proceedings of same Symposium as for 8. Also (revised) in
    Proc. 8th Conference on Cybernetics (1951), Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation, New York

  10. Entropy, Time and Information;
    (As for 8 and 9).

  11. Timebase Expansion and Compression Circuits.
    Electronic Engg. 1950, 22, 284-5.

  12. Ph.D. Thesis entitled: “The Application of Electronic Principles in the Solution of Differential Equations in Physics”.
    (University of London, 1950)

  13. Mindlike behaviour in Artefacts;
    Brit.J. for Phil. of Science, 1951, II, 105-121, also III, 352-3, (1953)

  14. In Search of Basic Symbols;
    Proc. 8th Conference on Cybernetics (1951) Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation, New York

  15. Mentality in Machines; (Third paper in Symposium);
    Proc. Aristot. Soc. Suppt. 1952, Vol. XXVI, 61-86.

  16. (with McCulloch, W.S.)
    The limiting informational capacity of a neuronal link;
    Bull. Math. Biophys. 1952, 14, 127-135; 15, 107.

  17. Generators of Information: “Communication Theory”.
    (W. Jackson, ed.) 1953, 475-485.

  18. The effects of relaxation-time on the relative efficiency of binary PCM, PIM and PPM;
    Ibid, pp. 96-101.

  19. From Mechanism to Mind;
    Trans. Vict. Inst. 1953, 17-32.

  20. Operational Aspects of some fundamental concepts of human communication.
    Synthese, 1954, 9, 182-198.

  21. Some experiments on the perception of patterns modulated at the alpha-frequency;
    EEG. Clin. Neurophysiol., 1953, 5, 559-562.

  22. On Comparing the Brain with Machines;
    The Advancement of Science, 40, (March 1954); 402-406
    also American Scientist 1954, 42, 261-268,
    and Ann. Report of Smithsonian Inst., 1954, 231-240.

  23. (with Bergman, G.D.)
    A high-speed waveform-sampling circuit.
    Electronic Engg., April, 1955, 27, 160.

  24. The epistemological problem for automata.
    Automata Studies, Princeton University Press, 1955, pp. 235-251.

  25. Supralogical behaviour in automata.
    Proc. 14th International Congress of Psych., 1954, 204

  26. High speed electronic analoue computing techniques.
    J.Inst.Electr.Eng. 1955, 102, 609-623.

  27. Complementary measures of scientific information-content.
    Methodos, VII, 63, 1955.

27a. Man as observer-predictor, in Man in his relationships,
(H. Westman, ed.) Routledge, London, 1955, pp. 15-28

  1. Cerebral Activity III.
    Advancement of Science, 42, p. 392, 1956.

  2. Towards an information-flow model of human behaviour.
    Brit. J. Psychol. 47, 30, 1956.

  3. The Place of 'Meaning' in the Theory of Information.
    Information Theory (E.C. Cherry, ed.) 1956, pp. 215-225.

  4. Complementary Descriptions.
    Mind, 1957, 66, 390-394.

31a. Brain and Will. The Listener, May 9th and 16th, 1957.
also (revised) Faith and Thought, 1958, 90, 103-115.

  1. Information Theory and Human Information Systems.
    Impact of Science on Society 1957, 8, 86-101.

  2. Moving Visual Images Produced by Regular Stationary Patterns.
    Nature, 1957, 180, 849-850. (Oct. 26)

  3. Some Further Visual Phenomena associated with regular patterened stimulaion.
    Nature, 1957, 180, 1145-6, (Nov. 23)

  4. The Stabilization of Perception during Voluntary Activity.
    Proc. 15th Int. Congress of Psychology, 1957, 284-285.

  5. Moving Visual Images Produced by Regular Stationary Patterns.(II).
    Nature, 1958, 181, 362-3. (Feb. 1)

  6. Perceptual Stability of a Stroboscopically Lit Visual Field containing self-luminous objects.
    Nature, 1958, 181, 507-8. (Feb. 15)

  7. Counter-revolution in Physics. The Listener, April 10, 1958.

  8. Complementarity II; Proc. Arist. Soc. Suppt. 1958, 32, 105-122.

  9. The Structural Information Capacity of Optical Instruments;
    Information and Control, 1, 148-152. (1958)

  10. On the Logical Indeterminacy of a Free Choice.
    Proc. XIIth Int. Congress of Philosophy, Venice, Sept. 1958.

41a. (Revised version of 41): Mind, 69, 31-40, (1960)

  1. Operational aspects of Intellect.
    Proc. N.P.L. Conference on 'Mechanisation of Thought Processes'
    Nov. 1958, pp. 37-52, (H.M.S.O. 1959)

  2. A 'Solid-Image' Microscope.
    Nature, 183, 246-7, Jan. 24, 1959.

  3. ***********************Interpretation'; (Essay-review)
    *********************9-51, (1959) [Text not available due to damage to original]

  4. Information Theory: Its uses and abuses.
    Bull. Brit. Psychol. Soc. 38, 70-71 (1959)

  5. Interactive processes in Visual Perception.
    Sensory Communication (W.A. Rosenblith, Ed.) (M.I.T. & Wiley)

  6. Modelling of large-scale nervous activity.
    S.E.B. Symposium: Models & Analogues in Biology (C.U.P.) XIV, 192-198, (1960)

  7. Monocular 'rivalry' between stabilised and unstabilised retinal images.
    Nature, 185, 834 (1960)

  8. A Simple Multi-Dimensional C.R.T. Display Unit.
    Electronic Engg., 32, 344-347 (1960)

  9. What makes a Question? The Listener, May 5, 1960, 789-90.

  10. The Informational Analysis of Questions and Commands.
    Proc. 4th Lond. Symp. on Information Theory. (E.C. Cherry, Ed.) (Butterworths) In Press.

  11. Theoretical models of Space Perception.
    Proc. Locarno Symp. on Biosimulation. In Press.

  12. (With D.A Jeffreys):
    Continuous Averaging System using magnetic tape.
    Proc. 3rd Int. Conf. on Medical Electronics, London, 1960
    (Int. Federation for Med. Electronics) 99-102 (1960)

  13. Logical Indeterminacy and Freewill.
    Analysis, 21, 82-83 (1961)

  14. Behind the Eye. (Fleming Memorial Lecture)
    J. Television Soc., 9, 367-374 (1961)

  15. Simulation of Intelligence (Abstract)
    J. Inst. Elec. Engrs.

  16. Information and Learning.
    Proceedings of NTG Symposium on “Learning Automata”, Karlsruhe, 1961.

  17. The Science of Communication – A Bridge between Disciplines.
    Inaugural Lecture, University College of North Staffordshire, 1961.
    [Inaugural lecture as Granada Research Professor of Communication; the College later became Keele University.]

  18. Anomalous Responses as Clues to Visual Organization.
    Proc. Conf. On Cerebral Systems and Cognitive Logic. (Calif. Inst. of Tchnology) 17,*****
    [Part of this entry is damaged; words “systems” and “cognitive” are partly guessed]

  19. The use of behavioural language to refer to mechanical processes.
    Brit. J. Phil. of Sci.1962 (In Press)

  20. Limits of Prediction.
    Cambridge Opinion, pp. 10-13. Dec. 1961.

  21. The visual effects of non-redundant stimulation.
    Nature, Vol. 192, pp. 739-740, Nov. 1961.

  22. Operational aspects of some fundamental concepts of human communication.
    (Shortened version of 20). J. of Communication, Vol. XI, No. 4, Dec. 1961.

  23. Man as a Mechanism.
    Faith and Thought, 91, 145-157, 1960.

  24. Self-Organization in the Time Domain.
    Proc. Chicago Conf. on Self-Organizing Systems 1962.
    [The Proceedings are published as: Self-Organizing Systems 1962, edited by Marshall C. Yovits, George T. Jacobi and Gordon D. Goldstein, Spartan, Washington, 1962, with the paper by D.M. MacKay on pp. 37-48.]