Changsin Lee, Bram van Heuveln, (1998) Why Connectionist Nets are Good Models
. Psycoloquy: 9(17) Connectionist Explanation (14)
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Psycoloquy 9(17): Why Connectionist Nets are Good Models
WHY CONNECTIONIST NETS ARE GOOD MODELS
Commentary on Green on Connectionist-Explanation
Changsin Lee, Bram van Heuveln,
Clayton T. Morrison & Eric Dietrich
PACCS, Department of Philosophy
Binghamton University
Binghamton, NY 13902
http://www.paccs.binghamton.edu/chang/
chang@turing.paccs.binghamton.edu
Abstract
We agree with Green that some connectionists do not make
it clear what their nets are modeling. However, connectionism is
still a viable project, connectionism, because it provides a
different ontology and different ways of modeling cognition by
requiring us to consider implementational details. We also argue
against Green's view of models in science and his characterization
of connectionist networks.
Keywords
cognition, connectionism, explanation, model, ontology,
theory
References
- Aronson, J.L., Harre', Rom, and Way, E.C. (1995) Realism Rescued: How scientific progress is possible. Chicago: Open Court.
- Clark, Andy (1993) Associative Engines. Cambridge: MIT Press.
- Green, C.D. (1998) Are connectionist models theories of cognition? PSYCOLOQUY 9(4) ftp://ftp.princeton.edu/pub/harnad/Psycoloquy/1998.volume.9/ psyc.98.9.04.connectionist-explanation.1.green
- Marr, D.C. (1977) Artificial intelligence: A personal view. Artificial Intelligence 9: 37-48.
- Sejnowski, T.J. and Rosenberg, C. (1987) Parallel networks that learn to pronounce English text. Complex Systems 1: 145-68.