Richard,
I have taken your point that you are pissed off with me & do not wish to
talk to me. However, you are being unwarrantedly insulting to me, if you
think I am "pulling a stunt." I was making a genuinely meant point - it is
no problem to produce an endless series of cognitive science definitions
like that below, which stress that it treats the human mind as a "rational
agent." I did it, because I genuinely believe what I an saying - and I
argue genuinely throughout, not cheaply or nastily, and from commitment. By
all means disagree or think me stupid, naive, whatever. But you are not
entitled to take that tone.
It's OK, you don't need to reply.
My comment stemmed from my experience as a professional cognitive
scientist. Please don't pull this kind of stunt.
Mike Tintner wrote:
Richard,
Welcome to the Virtual Home for
the NCSU Cognitive Science Program!
Cognitive Science is an exciting area of interdisciplinary research that
seeks to understand what is arguably the final mystery within the
universe -- the nature and evolution of mind. Cognitive Science programs
exist across the globe, typically represented by a broad range of faculty
who specialize in areas like Psychology and Neuroscience, Linguistics and
Psycholinguistics, Computer Science and Robotics, as well as Logic and
the Philosophy of Mind. This interdisciplinary perspective is necessary,
since contemporary theories of mind incorporate ideas from several
disciplines. Thus the mind is usefully modeled as a rational agent, a
logical system, a computer, a psycholinguistic device, and a brain whose
psychological functions evolved naturally over time. Accordingly, North
Carolina State University has its own Cognitive Science Program,
administered by the Department of Philosophy & Religion, and supported by
a strong faculty drawn from the fields of Psychology, Neurobiology,
Computer Science, Linguistics, and Philosophy.
----- Original Message ----- From: "Richard Loosemore"
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, May 06, 2007 9:09 PM
Subject: Re: [agi] The Advantages of a Conscious Mind
Mike Tintner wrote:
Cognitive science treats humans as thinking like computers -
rationally, if boundedly rationally.
Which part of cognitive science treats humans as thinking irrationally,
as I have described ? (There may be some misunderstandings here which
hve to be ironed out, but I don't think my claim at all outrageous or
less than obvious).
All the social sciences treat humans as thinking rationally. It is
notorious that this doesn't fit the reality - especially for example in
economics. But the basic attitude is: well, it's the best model we've
got.
It is hard to argue with you when you make statements that so flagrantly
contradict the facts: pick up a textbook of cognitive psychology (my
favorite is Eysenck and Keane, but you can try John Anderson...) and you
will find some chapters that specifically discuss the experimental
evidence for the fact that humans do not generally think in "rational"
ways. They study the irrationality, so how could they possibly assume
that humans are rational like computers? These people would not for one
minute go along with your statement that they "assume" that humans think
like computers.
That term "rational" is crucial. I am using it the way everyone in
cognitive science uses it.
Which part of cognitive science treats humans as thinking irrationally?
Egads: all of it!
Richard Loosemore.
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