ARTIFICIAL-INTELLIGENCE AND CONNECTIONISM - SOME PHILOSOPHICAL IMPLICATIONS

The paper presents selected topics from Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Connectionism (Neural Network Modelling) and assesses the contribution of both disciplines to our understanding of the human mind and brain. Firstly three different ways of approaching the mind are discussed, that is, through inner experience (introspection), by means of objective scientific method, and by using artificial models. Two philosophical issues related to AI are treated, the logical limitation of formalized thought and the phenomenological limitation of external modelling. Connectionism is presented as a science of collective phenomena similar to those in physical systems. Its relationship to AI is exemplified by a theory of knowledge representation. The paper concludes with a description of Dennet's theory of consciousness.