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Rethinking Cognitive Computation explores the hypothesis that the mind is a computer. The exploration is based on the pioneering work of Alan Turing and presents the first detailed exposition of his theory of computation intended specifically for psychologists. Turing''s bold and beautiful theory provides an ideal perspective from which to evaluate current computational thinking about the mind. The book examines the strengths and weaknesses of symbol systems and connectionist theorising and proposes a new approach called ecological functionalism. Ecological functionalism is based on Turing''s fundamental insights and extends them by drawing on contemporary theories of concurrent and distributed computation to cover a wide range of psychological domains. Ecological functionalism provides the basis for a powerful, unified theory of great scope which includes social as well as individual processes. The book is intended for teaching but will also be of interest to researchers in cognitive science, psychology and philosophy of mind.Andrew Wells is a lecturer in psychology at the London School of Economics and Political Science. He has qualifications in philosophy, psychology and computer science and has published papers on a range of psychological topics.>
Sommario
Introduction
Making the Modern Mind
Functional States and Mini-minds
Exploring Sets of Mini-minds
Environments and Actions
Turing's Analysis of Computation
Turing's Example Machines
Turing's Functional Notation
Standard Descriptions and Description Numbers
Basic Components of the Universal Machine
Simulation
The Universal Machine in Detail
Turing's Unsolvability Proofs
Von Neumann Computer Architecture
Virtual Architecture
The Commitments of the Computational Theory of Mind
Evaluating the Computational Theory of Mind
Connectionism
Ecological Functionalism: Computation
Ecological Functionalism: Psychology
References.
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Andy Wells
