Computationalism

Question 1

C=C?

Answer 1

Cognition = Computation

Question 2

How is computationalism a paradigm shift?

Answer 2

According to Thomas Kuhn, computationalism represented a scientific paradigm shift, changing the questions asked, experimental designs, and interpretations of results in psychology.

Question 3

Before computationalism which paradigm reigen, and why did computationalism emerge?

Answer 3

Behaviorism: Focused on observable behaviors, ignoring internal mental states.

Computationalism: Emerged as behaviorism couldn’t explain complex cognitive phenomena

Question 4

What is a paradgim shift?

Answer 4

A scientific discipline that defines which phenomena are studied, the questions asked, experimental designs, and interpretations of results.

Question 5

Which “questions” were asked in computationalism? (When it became or was about to become the new “normal science”)

Answer 5

What range of behavior is made possible by internal computation?
Which computational processes underlie this range of behavior?
How flexible and constrained is cognition?
How can we infer the internal computational operations?

Question 6

Name the three reasons/tensions for computationalism in the paradigm shift?

Answer 6

Empirical Tension: Existing data couldn’t be explained by the behaviorist paradigm.

**Conceptual Tension: **Necessary concepts were “forbidden” by behaviorism.

Technological Tension: New technologies provided new metaphors and ways to understand cognition.

Question 7

Expand on the empirical tension in computationalism

Answer 7

Increasing evvidence of internal processes that could not be explained by behaviourism. Unusual, surprising obervations. ​

Tolman’s rat experiment: Rats creating cognitive maps of mazes​

Stroop task: Requires internal processes such as attention and control​

Treisman and attentio

The last three, were experiments which showed that behaviourism couldn’t explain everything. And that some task requires more internal or brain-y help than simply observing external behaviour.

Question 8

Expand on the conceptual development regarding computationalism

Answer 8

The rebirth of the mind

Theoretical change

Development of new theories concerning internal processes

Baddeley’s model of working memory (1972)

Question 9

Expand on the technological advances regarding computationalism

Answer 9

New ways of approaching the study of the mind emerged

The first computer: Inspired by human thoughts, manipulation of symbols, representation of inputs and outputs.
* ** The analytical engine** – A steam powered loom which was “programmed” to create specific designs according to its punch cards’s shape.

Depicts how the operation of the mind occurs in a number of stages
* Example: The theorist computer program (prove mathematical theorems), the Manchester machine, mechanical computer by Ada Lovelace and Charles Babbage

Question 10

How did behaviourism and computationalism view psychology?

Answer 10

Behaviorism: Psychology is the science of behavior.

Computationalism: Psychology is the science of (human) computation. Our psychology can be implemented in Turing Machines.

Question 11

How does behaviourism and computationalism view symbol interpretation?

Answer 11

Behaviorism: Symbols like “A” can have multiple interpretations.

Computationalism: Symbols are systematically interpretable and consistent. X = X always holds unless explicitly redefined, following strict syntax rules like in coding.

Question 12

Charactristics for computationalism?

Answer 12

• Observe effects of internal computation
• Ask which computational processes underlie cognition
• Control stimulus and infer computational operations
• Results support or disconfirm computational theories

Question 13

How are mental representations understood within the computational paradgim?

Answer 13

Definition: Internal symbols or structures representing external objects, events, or concepts.

Symbolic Representations: Discrete symbols, like words.
Analog Representations: Continuous, spatial representations, like mental images.
Connectionist Representations: Distributed across neural networks. Where knowledge is stored in the connections between nodes.

Question 14

Learned from the manchester machine, there were three requirements for computation, which are these?

Answer 14

Input-output mechanisms (sensations)
Internal store (memory)
Processes (programs) for logic

Question 15

There are four assumptions of computationalism, what are these?

Answer 15

Mind as Information Processor: The mind operates like a computer, processes information through algorithms and representations.

Symbol Manipulation: Cognitive processes involve manipulating symbols according to formal rules.

Algorithmic Nature: Mental processes can be described as algorithms transforming inputs into outputs.

Functionalism: Mental states are defined by their functional roles, not by their physical realization.

Question 16

Mind as information processor?

Answer 16

The mind operates like a computer, processes information through algorithms and representations.

Question 17

Symbol manipulation (Assumption of computationalism)

Answer 17

Cognitive processes involve manipulating symbols according to formal rules.

Question 18

Algorithmic Nature (Assumption of computationalism)

Answer 18

Mental processes can be described as algorithms transforming inputs into outputs.

Question 19

Functionalism

Answer 19

Mental states are defined by their functional roles, not by their physical realization.

Question 20

What are the three levels in Marr’s levels of analysis?

Answer 20

Computational level, Algorithmic level and implementation level

Psychology, neuroscience and computer science

Question 21

What is the computational level in Marr’s analysis?

Answer 21

Here, the purpose is to identify the goal of computation and the logical strategy to achieve it.

What problem is being solved and why

Question 22

What is the Algorithmic level in Marr’s analysis?

Answer 22

Here we determine how the computation is implemented.

What are the input-output representations? What specific algoritms are used?

Question 23

What is the Implementational level in Marr’s analysis?

Answer 23

Here we investigate the physical realization of the algorithm.

How is the algorithm physiccally implemented? What hardware or neural circuits are involved?

Question 24

Explain Marr’s three levels in Practice?

Answer 24

Psychology (Experiments on Function): Discover the natural goals/functions of cognitive systems.

Computer Science (Modeling): Represent inputs and outputs, develop functions mapping inputs to outputs.

Neuroscience (Experiments on Tissue): Identify how algorithms are implemented in the brain’s neural circuitry.

Question 25

Give an example of Marr’s three levels as language as the example

Answer 25

Computational: Goal of language: Producing sentences.
* Defining a sentence: A series of words in a specific order, defined by a set of rules base on syntax and grammar.

Algorithmic: The process; the thing that the mind does step by step. Combining words into sentences.

Implementation: Neuroscience; Which areas of the brain is activated when producing language, e.g. Broca’s and/or Wernicke’s area.