A recognizing and judging apparatus has a network organized in a multilayered hierarchical manner and a plurality of branched tree structures corresponding to the number of inputted data. The branched tree structures are organized by a plurality of recognition units, each of which includes a signal input section and a quantizer for performing a quantization according to a signal inputted from the signal input section. Each of the recognition units further includes a path input section having at least one path input terminal, a path output section having at least one path output terminal, and a path selecting section operatively coupled with both the path input section and the path output section for performing a selection of paths according to an output of the quantizer.