Cogprints

Beyond Turing Equivalence

Sloman, Aaron (1996) Beyond Turing Equivalence. [Journal (Paginated)]

Full text available as:

[img] Postscript
147Kb

Abstract

What is the relation between intelligence and computation? Although the difficulty of defining `intelligence' is widely recognized, many are unaware that it is hard to give a satisfactory definition of `computational' if computation is supposed to provide a non-circular explanation for intelligent abilities. The only well-defined notion of `computation' is what can be generated by a Turing machine or a formally equivalent mechanism. This is not adequate for the key role in explaining the nature of mental processes, because it is too general, as many computations involve nothing mental, nor even processes: they are simply abstract structures. We need to combine the notion of `computation' with that of `machine'. This may still be too restrictive, if some non-computational mechanisms prove to be useful for intelligence. We need a theory-based taxonomy of {\em architectures} and {\em mechanisms} and corresponding process types. Computational machines my turn out to be a sub-class of the machines available for implementing intelligent agents. The more general analysis starts with the notion of a system with independently variable, causally interacting sub-states that have different causal roles, including both `belief-like' and `desire-like' sub-states, and many others. There are many significantly different such architectures. For certain architectures (including simple computers), some sub-states have a semantic interpretation for the system. The relevant concept of semantics is defined partly in terms of a kind of Tarski-like structural correspondence (not to be confused with isomorphism). This always leaves some semantic indeterminacy, which can be reduced by causal loops involving the environment. But the causal links are complex, can share causal pathways, and always leave mental states to some extent semantically indeterminate.

Item Type:Journal (Paginated)
Subjects:Psychology > Cognitive Psychology
Computer Science > Artificial Intelligence
Computer Science > Neural Nets
Computer Science > Robotics
Linguistics > Pragmatics
Linguistics > Semantics
Linguistics > Syntax
Philosophy > Philosophy of Language
Philosophy > Logic
Philosophy > Metaphysics
Philosophy > Philosophy of Mind
Philosophy > Philosophy of Science
ID Code:704
Deposited By: Sloman, Aaron
Deposited On:22 Jun 1998
Last Modified:11 Mar 2011 08:54

Metadata

Repository Staff Only: item control page