Computational theory of mind: what does it consist of?

Since ancient times, and presumably before, humans have wondered what makes them different from other animals. This has led them to speculate about the nature of what we now call the mind. From there, numerous explanatory models have been created that attempt to reveal this entity. One of them is the computational theory of mind, which establishes that the human cognitive system is a computational system.

According to this computational theory of mind, People create, transform, encode, store, retrieve and use information in the same way that a computer does. If you want to know more about this explanatory model, we invite you to continue reading.

What is the computational theory of mind?

Also known as computationalism, this theory It is the set of explanations that maintains that the human mind is an information processing system; and that cognition and consciousness are a form of computation.

That is, according to this theory, The mind takes information from the environment (input), processes it, transforms it and generates a response (output), through an algorithmic process. In this sense, thinking is compared to a calculation or, more precisely, to the application of a certain system of rules.

That said, the computational theory of mind maintains that The mind is not simply analogous to a computer program, but is literally a computer system..

Of course, the most familiar artificial computing systems are made of chips of silicon or similar materials, while the human body is made of flesh and bone. But, this theory maintains that, behind this physical difference, there is a fundamental similarity: operation through computations.

The computational theory of mind is found within cognitive psychology.

Background of the computational theory of mind

The foundations of the computational theory of mind can be summarized as:

The mathematical formalism

Intuitive notions of computation and algorithm are fundamental to mathematics. In general terms, An algorithm is an explicit procedure to answer some question or solve some problem.. An algorithm provides routine mechanical instructions, dictating how to proceed at each step.

Obeying instructions does not require special ingenuity or creativity. For example, familiar elementary school algorithms describe how to calculate addition, multiplication, and division. In this sense, Mathematics can be considered one of the first disciplines to work on computation or calculation..

The Turing machine

A Turing machine is a theoretical computer model, which has unlimited computing time and storage space at its disposal. The device manipulates symbols, in the same way that humans manipulate information during arithmetic calculation.

According to computationalism, the mind is a computational system similar to a Turing machine. That is, central mental processes (such as reasoning, decision making, and problem solving) are calculations similar to those executed by said machine.

physicalism

It is a philosophical current about the nature of reality. He defends that what exists is exclusively physical, to which the mental is also reduced. That is to say, mental processes are an epiphenomenon of the brain. Therefore, the mind can be understood when science reaches sufficient development to understand brain activity.

Representatives

Warren McCulloch and Walter Pitts (1943) were the first to suggest that neural activity is computational. and argued that neural computations explain cognition.

Nevertheless, The computational theory of mind was proposed by Hilary Putnam in 1967. And, later, it was developed by his doctoral student, the philosopher and cognitive scientist Jerry Fodor, during the 60s, 70s and 80s.

Principles of the computational theory of mind

To better understand the computational theory of mind, here are some of its basic principles:

The human mind is a system that sequentially processes symbolic informationbased on a set of calculation rules (algorithm). Computers and human cognitive systems receive, encode, transform, store and retrieve information from computational rules. The human mind and artificial intelligent systems (such as the computer ) are structurally different, but functionally equivalent.

The computational theory of mind proposes a metaphor between the functioning of the human mind and the functioning of a computer.

critics

The computational theory of mind has received numerous criticisms, particularly from philosophers John Searle, Hubert Dreyfus, and Roger Penrose. Are They center around the reduction of thought and understanding to the simple application of a system of rules..

For example, for Searle, The mind is not reduced to the simple manipulation of symbols (grammar or syntax), but also has a semantic capacity to realize, or be aware, of the meanings of symbols. Issue that differentiates us from artificial computers.

For its part, Hubert Dreyfus claims that intuitive, creative, or skillful human activity may appear to resist formalization by a computer program.. That is, could a computer compose the Eroica symphony? Or discover general relativity? Or even replicate a child’s effortless ability to perceive the environment, tie shoelaces, and discern the emotions of others?

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