Selmer Bringsjord (1998) Domain-independent Abstract Mediating States are a Function of Education
. Psycoloquy: 9(85) Representation Mediation (14)
Versions: ASCII formatted
Psycoloquy 9(85): Domain-independent Abstract Mediating States are a Function of Education
DOMAIN-INDEPENDENT ABSTRACT MEDIATING STATES ARE A FUNCTION OF EDUCATION
Commentary on Markman-Dietrich on Representation-Mediation
Selmer Bringsjord
Department of Philosophy, Psychology & Cognitive Science
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Troy NY 12180
http://www.rpi.edu/~brings
selmer@rpi.edu
Abstract
Markman & Dietrich (1998a) repeat that domain-independent
abstract mediating (DIAM) states are rare, as if this somehow
creates problems for the position I introduced (Bringsjord,
1998a). This is incorrect. One can cheerfully affirm that DIAM
states are rare, but WHY are they so? Markman & Dietrich (and
everyone else thinking and writing about such matters in cognitive
science) seem to think the answer involves the nature of cognizers.
This too is incorrect. That domain-independent abstract mediating
states are rare is due to the way we accidentally educate our
youth.
Keywords
compositionality, computation, connectionism, discrete
states, dynamic Systems, explanation, information, meaning,
mediating states, representation, rules, semantic Content symbols
References
- Bringsjord, S. (1998a) Domain-Independent Abstract Mediating States and AI. PSYCOLOQUY 9(53). http://www.cogsci.soton.ac.uk/cgi/psyc/newpsy?9.53 ftp://ftp.princeton.edu/pub/harnad/Psycoloquy/1998.volume.9/psyc.98.9.53.representation-mediation.2.bringsjord
- Bringsjord, S. (1998b) In Defense of Logical Minds. Proceedings of the 20th Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Science Society. (Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum), pp. 173-178.
- Johnson-Laird, P. and Savary, F. (1995) "How to Make the Impossible Seem Probable," in Proceedings of the 17th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society (Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates), pp. 381-384.
- Markman, A.B. & Dietrich, E. (1998a) Domain Independent Mediating States are Rare PSYCOLOQUY 9(56). http://www.cogsci.soton.ac.uk/cgi/psyc/newpsy?9.56 ftp://ftp.princeton.edu/pub/harnad/Psycoloquy/1998.volume.9/psyc.98.9.56.representation-mediation.3.markman
- Markman, A.B. & Dietrich, E. (1998b). In Defense of Representation as Mediation. PSYCOLOQUY 9(48) http://www.cogsci.soton.ac.uk/cgi/psyc/newpsy?9.48 ftp://ftp.princeton.edu/pub/harnad/Psycoloquy/1998.volume.9/psyc.98.9.48.representation-mediation.1.markman