Connections, Binding, Unification & Analogical Promiscuity

Abstract

This paper claims that higher cognition implemented by a connectionist system will be essentially analogical, with analogical mapping by continuous systematic substitution as the core cognitive process. The centrality of analogy is argued to be necessary in order for a connectionist system to use representations that are effectively symbolic. In turn, these representations are argued to be a necessary consequence of a sequence of broad design decisions needed to address technical problems in adapting a connectionist system for higher cognition. The design decisions are driven by the demands of a paradigmatic cognitive task and the desire to remain faithful to the constraints of connectionist components. Thus, the argument explains the origin of symbolic representations and analogy as necessary consequences of task demands and connectionist processing capabilities.