The Cognitive Basis of Computation: Putting Computation in Its Place

In Mark Sprevak & Matteo Colombo (eds.), The Routledge Handbook of the Computational Mind. London: Routledge. pp. 272-282 (2018)
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Abstract

The mainstream view in cognitive science is that computation lies at the basis of and explains cognition. Our analysis reveals that there is no compelling evidence or argument for thinking that brains compute. It makes the case for inverting the explanatory order proposed by the computational basis of cognition thesis. We give reasons to reverse the polarity of standard thinking on this topic, and ask how it is possible that computation, natural and artificial, might be based on cognition and not the other way around.

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Author Profiles

Erik Myin
University of Antwerp
Daniel D. Hutto
University of Wollongong
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Citations of this work

Out of control: Flourishing with carebots through embodied design.Anco Peeters - forthcoming - In L. Cavalcante Siebert, Giulio Mecacci, D. Amoroso, F. Santoni de Sio, D. Abbink & J. van den Hoven (eds.), Multidisciplinary Research Handbook on Meaningful Human Control over AI Systems. Edward Elgar Publishing.

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