Download Computational Theory of Mind

Comparing the Two Theories

Computational Theory of Mind


Meaning-making or
information processing?

Is Computational Theory of Mind just a fancier form of behaviorism?

Unit of analysis: What gets left out?
Distributed Cognition
Computational Theory of Mind

Original Goals
A. To formally describe the meanings humans make of their worlds & then hypothesize what meaning-making
processes might be involved
B. To replace behaviorism, not simply reform it by adding a bit of mentalism

Five Key Features
1. Posits a level of analysis wholly separate from the biological or neurological
2. Faith that central to any understanding of the human mind is the computer
3. Deliberate decision to de-emphasize certain factors that may be important but complicate things (emotion,
history/culture, role of context)
4. Faith in interdisciplinary studies (philosophy, psychology, artificial intelligence, linguistics, anthropology,
neuroscience)
5. Claim that a key ingredient in contemporary cognitive psych. is the agenda of issues which have long
exercised epistemologists in the Western philosophical tradition
Meaning-Making or
Computation of Information?
Original Goal A. To formally describe the meanings humans make of their worlds & then hypothesize what meaning-making
processes might be involved
Key Feature 2. Faith that central to any understanding of the human mind
is the computer
Is Computational Theory of Mind
Just a Fancier Form of Behaviorism?
Original Goal B. To replace behaviorism, not simply reform it
by adding a bit of mentalism
Unit of Analysis:
What Gets Left Out?
Key Feature 3. Deliberate decision to de-emphasize certain factors that may be important but
complicate things
Distributed Cognition
Example:
Imagine a teacher creating a science activity
for a middle school classroom…

Assumptions of Computational Theory of Mind




Cognition is bounded, dependent but autonomous system
Hence, factoring assumption
Dualist ontological tradition
Assumptions of Distributed Cognition Theory




Basic organizing structure: “communities of practice”
Meaning evolves through enculturation
Meaning of x @ regular pattern of interaction w/x
Identity: Changes in knowing = changes in being
• Non-Dualist Ontological Tradition
• Learning = progress along trajectories of participation
& growth of identity