Mindware: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Cognitive Science

112 Pages·2000·28.515 MB·English

by  Andy Clark

AN INTRODUCTION
TO THE PHILOSOPHY
OF COGNITIVE SCIENCE
Andy Clark
vninniry of S-
NmYork Oxford
OXFORD UNVlERSm PRESS
2Wl
CONTENTS
F?+e:Abur ~inmuarr viii
A&nov&dpnrr r
Remumr di
Inndunion: (Not) Like lr Rak I
1 Mat M a c kM inhnrrasSaftmre 7
r SvmbolSyncmr ZE
3 P m mC onm~mdGum4 3
4 Cammionism 62
I Perception. Action. md the Bnin 84
6 Robots and AniGal Lie I03
@
hmrmia 120
E %hive Technolow Byand the NsLcd Bnin 110
9 (Not Rally a) Conduaion 160
A~WDIXI %me &&drop: Dualism. Bchrviorism, Funcliondisma d
Wnd 162
A ~ I11 XCoN ciornnnr adt heMar-Hard Problem 171
-n
I89
bda 203

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Cbptn 7. Won7 .1. reprod-- s N do~ti@ @ -led m na p a p
"Thcd~un~dchailmge.I' +,M Iomn2!0,.4II4RI. 1997, md "~nme
and mtnd.' /arm1 afPntbsaphophl95(71. 3Y376. 1998.
Chsptcr 8 indudn rom matid horn "Ma6cWordr: H mh n- rns-
humm ramputation.' In P. Gmthma nd 1. Bouchcr led$.). Lqwb md
Wght( Gmbtidgc, England: Cambridge Uninniv Pma, 1998).
Sincere thank to thc cdilon and pub!irhm for pennirabn m urr thir mmid
hm.
Source oftigum w &red in the kp~dr.
Thmh to Beth s~mebnmT, amm Gunon. K.thcMe McCabe. md Kim-
klyM ount far mnlublc Mpi n preparing the muuript. Andto Lob,t hat.
~ hbkao4 grew our of r vrricty of undcrmdusw du. uught in both ~nglmd for rining on it during aU 81.g~o f production.
end the United Ms.I nEngltnbI un indebted msmdrnnand coUnguer in phi. Thanksahto (j,aeGdun.nda bevyofanonynnurrfnmwhoumm.
brophy and in inhe rhwl of Cagnitiwmd Computing Science. at the UniversiIy mmtsmd m&au hrumsdcan cnwmovr&~ncctotkfimpm~d un
of su- in the uni8.d States. I am indcbtcd to smdmu md coUraguer in Phi- And findne ntially, but so very inadcqurtely. UI.nlu +nd mearm m
laophy. in the ~hilorophy~~ovi~~ccprioPgr~am~, ~ahdoi nI rh~c Hrwldf my wife and collcrpc, lowfr Toribio. and to my wnu. Chrk~inem d -1
f~~i~s~h man M~~ indlBrrin oram.d l rt Wshinaton Univrrriw in St. Lauir. Vviovr Clrh .b dw,y our 10% and -Won mcrnt the world.
hicndr, mlleay~a dm entors, both 1 the; institutions ;nd clwwherc, dewm
rrrv. s.p cid thank. Thdr vim mdcritidrmr have helps3 rhapcevcrythingin fhia
book (though, .r is customnry, thya re nor to be blsmd for the faulu and lapwsl.
1 ern thinking of (in no particular ordcr) hnicl Dcnncn. Paul md Pal Church-
land. Mavrcr Boden, Brim GnMll Smith. Tim Van Geldcr, Michael Morrb
Bill Bechtrl. Mirhncl Whcrlrc, David Chdmeri. Rick Grurh, Aaron Slomm. Svun
Hurlq, Pear Grmthnr lohn Haugeland. Isu Prim Ron Chrisly, Brian Kcc-
I..,n, C. h.r.~.i.s P.. e.a..& .. , md Manin Davis. I owe li sped drbr ts fiends and rd-
~
leagues worhne in ncurouiencr. robaticr, psychology, anift~irlli lc, copilivc an-
th~opclogyr,c onamirs, and beyond. espeidly David Van Erwn, Charls Andcmn.
Douglsr Nonh. Ed Hutchins, Randy Beer, Borbm Webb, Lynn Andm Sttin.
Meja Matnric, Melanie MiahdI, David Cliff, Chrir Thorncon, Gther Thclen. Julie
Rutkoraki. nnd Linda Smith.
Mort of thcpr-I text irncw.but Ii wchaptendn*ronmatid ham pub-
liahcd articles
Chapter 4. Won4 .2 ('1, incorponta some mtruf rom 7he wo*. the flcrh
and the ~nificidn eural ~~o~~ok"a-pfpo r in I. Ompbcll md G. Olivrd
-
(cd~).h n.-w sw Mind and Machina (Oxford. England: PIford Univrrsiw
Pteu).
aapm5 . SIItion 5.1 ud aupm 8. won8.1. indude materid hom Where
b"& body md world mu id^.' ~aulnlus1 27(2). 257-2W. 1998.
Enddon-M1tcheh.l. D.,a nd !.chon, F. II9%1. %b#,yo/Mind andQpi&m Ollard.
Enidand: BI=kll. IwUmr inuodurm*l tat <m.iqth e maw lditlody
phbpMiulr nt4to.l oli dentity ~hmryb, dondisrn. and debt- rbovf mnmr
RESOURCES m.I .( 19961. PhllarophyofMind Boulder. CDW snin. IA rmly crdlmn tat. rws-
iq~hahmorismi.d oltin hmn, mxhule bnclionalurn, md dhem abom mn-
viovrnnr and ron,m,.,
ach mdr with rp&cih suggertionrf or further mding. Bur it ir rb vonh
highlighting o numbcr ofh irr rmurra and rollenionr:
khfd,W, md Cnham. F. (IWI.A Crm1"ion to C&tixa Orlord, En&md:
slrrkwll. I~lopd".@e<nt.*. on dl the impomnl topi- 6th a uwful hm-
to"& irmdudon by Whirl, Abnhlrnwn. and Gr8ham.l
&dm. M. (19901. Phi1omphyofldfi"dl inrd1;pn. OIford Endand: Oxford Uni.
mq ~rcu(.~ rnimpl pn hy Turiw Slarlc, N-11 and Simon. and Man, with
some nwrr ma~bliobny ~D mnst. Dmi(u* and D&s. P.M. Chuwhhd. and
-. ah.rr.1
LF
M 11m96). 7kRIhphyofAhfi&I Mrd,E ngland: 0xbdU nirnnty
~~b ~trnr~ rin(,r. ~~ t.~h l'. ur i~ar nm ua.)d wton, eru,rb,. Im n-o n. and a uwful windor on amr nrlrdc
Hmghd, I. iL9971. M;hdU& I!. Gmbridgc, rn MIT Pm .. (Fanustic colLNon,
inrluding. rm. inlrnd&" by H."%l."d; rminrl ppn b Turin& mn~l.
Newdl and Sunon, Minsky. Or+ md Srarlr; r wmpnhcn.ive inlradurtian to
ronnrrrionkrn in papen by Rumdhan. Smolcn%krC, hurdlurd. Uormbrg, md
c1.h wmind c"tig.n by odor and 41~,hp. -7, slich, and ~amna;n d r
hint dnrw fmnd~rsfr om Brmlu and Van Gelds Wit. indispmsabk.l
Lpn, W. (LMM)m mdandCqn?MA .&R Clmbndp. Md: ~la&~~IGlir.a l
v.1~- larg. and rll<hown mllntion ronumr~inogn the nriirr d&c; m r
funabndirm, in$tiummt.lism, diminsnrism. adt hc Ianguqc oithou8h*, rith
.
"*dl vrllnn un .on* ,nme.<&"* gull 2.
uun..u r u..~~,~~~o.r;1 w1 anmankbuousr.rn k h k dFX .
pamaon Orfod. ingland Bla~'-~lI. A <ornprrhenmr mpllnlo f the debto
hemmnnnclm lsm ,,.d .bk~c~crnn. th runtclhutanlb r smolenskr. bndor =.d
P*ll,hm (and irp1.r. b$ rich,. Rarnqo d Qrh snd Watddd 21d m?v 0th-
Tm r-r rabmb h mc ontrnu ih.1 nicmrmlypl cmml the prrvnZ &ti*
szirntiliulh orirnted, pnpectivr:
l NTRODUCTION
(Not) Like a Rock
He's how lmyyy 21.2000 prnmd out for thm diRcrrnr c1-e of the nat-
unl order.
E-lrm cnt r: A Rock
Hmi s r day in the lib of a small. gny.uhii mck wrtling midst mc kv , in my
St. Louis bxbrd. It %Dyedp ut. Some things happened ta it: then wr nin, md
h bearm wet md shim; then war *rind, and it was subtly nod& rm u tc hased
a quinel nearby, md this msdt~he mck %my.T hat's about it. really. Them ir no
reason to believe the rxk had any ihoughu. or that any ofthir fck iih anrhlng to
Ihc mk. Stuff hrpptned. but that war all.
Elcmcni r A Cat
lob, vut,h ad a rather difimnt kind ofdq. About&% ~f nwr rpnt. as usu.1.
asleep. But there wcre Bny into the wking, widnvrorld. m n d7 ru. some in.
nrr stirring kd Lolo lo ail the house, making rtnigbt forth. utRap from Ihr warm
pcmh of the living mom sofa. Outside, bodily functbnr dcmbflns domimwd. at
Icsn n first, utc.. rollowing a brief vip back inside (~~mingrolyut ed via the at.
flap and thefood tray]. squirrels *re chased and dangnr avodrd. Othcr crO wre
d=altwilh in wyr rppmprialc to their rank, rhhon. bnh. md meann.9~. Thenwas
I great deal of funher sleeping.
Element 3: Myself -
My day vms (Im ink) mher mom like Lolo's than lik me rock's. we b ~(Lhdo and
I) pursued food and warmth. But mlr day ind&, IS urpM. Rmcr m mo ~ght
mhp(mian.The kindof~plnlingmsriontcmplarionin, fad,that has somulms Svchv.pefrper!d~giandt hinkingipy huge divikn&Thcyrvppons rur.
goncn philomphy a bad name. Manin Amir caplured the spl'it wll: pKmgdegreof prrdictivc rmu, and arethemrnman rumeycfm any of our
mI twimiua mnugdt hthl rsilclinl$gr wmifg.pri~v.u b(tliuwMh irn~dathh ~aist thoulht and vthIe uspe tlofr nnnn?g'r~ Il Sr.Mti. on wcawmhml aonndx pnrwsd picssylc phmolojewN ir. Iunbt iqhuisivtoeuins. r l~mhacspt ihnivl%mipbihr(mbinr rsyu Fwo idto wr orruk ~so ewreahll)r, t
behind that mognition, and the rdfanpfulation hhlnd rxognizingt hat m c ~ and pm~riully;d ;~pnxlblr. Far rumple. it ensblrs w lo make pmim plans on
"itb". the bark of mmwne'~2 -month-old statement that hey will arrive on flight 594
Ia msaig* doidn . s(owmaert ionf t~hmati. rIr. hh aa dR tho&ughIh pa", e.v pe.n 6 'tra)ins ofthought" (reason- arinm F ridihacy ,n Numovbeemr obrlr o. 2 h0..n 1>59u9ln. rSisubchle psl minvso oluhemd. wThocrkv owuot-r k outrt ullryh amma ichincgv fdaon)
amblde s roq ounc)n. cBeurt tohfe trheinwkeinreg as lssou cthh oavsg "hlrrs a 1b oPu.Mtt. hToimugeh ttor, cnr tI. sa~t abatc'kri na nthde o fbridugme)r'd &ir crroumsech tahew rmlrr amctirvne ts rhraflpmr so afn m iyn tbeenhtaiovnio (rt.o I da rrrriivrer tthhaatt bIs yh,o wuld t ahrarti vfelig ohnt 1ti mthen.l
my am trains of thought, aIm for mlorful exampla m impon inm this a. You know that Im deice. And on that bash with r little oo~ntionh em ihc
wodd at 1% minrln of coordination on -r OI sr Fdor more coiorfu11y
puU it
Wh~l,rhm.d~rl~ny~~hhcosmuld andl pcrhaprlpnvln hnmul'wlnn sym want a hah erem y phrjul W y*1 11 b. wn ~hunday,m mh.nictnur
are Lh.mc.hmsm thrr m.k,hough,.nd f~l,"gp<,,N.~A"d rh., hnhrr,n<k! ~ YdrIn r. of midkrkdo bias *her 41, and w!d m hp mty 4i n iu kld-
or antfia -mrc m.v om hand of mlndhlner$ I!. ~culoaur lf sravc i,nd 5uch is "0 *Y top" r. di. Far fh. bsl myl o Edo m Ivrvllly in pnoi<r, fhr onI"my,o
quntionr utmt o frmr attention an thrrc different *per of phewmme: find am1 is: ask md IMnr. 1987, p. 6,o "glnJ cnphsskl
I. The feelings that chanctnirc daily rrpmencc (hunger, irdner* desire, and m Commonxnw prlcholaw thur work, mdw ith a vengeance. But why? Why
0") is it that rrcrtingenrh nheF I having btliefi, howl ntrntionr. and the 1*cdl-
2. The flow of thougha mdw onr ur ruc<eslully lo cxplzin, predict, and undernand m much daily bhavior? Bllich,
duircr, md so on are, =her aU, invisible We r e( what wc fakc to bc) their <fits.
3. The mtu-flow of Lhaughaaboutthoughts [andthoughtsa bout irrling.), of m- nu! iooonr\a$noanuallr$rrnakl#rf5 1~rhihon~~~~~i~urrmtly~prmanrn!ly~l
flLmon on rrrronr end ro on. unohumahlc Cammnnvnv pryrho1o~po.1t~h~c v-a nnhumblnznd lnukr to
Most of he hc-rch pmpms covmd in this t mh ave ronrmtntd on the k commat<d tor hd,, 131I*..I,k< ,r1r:,or,, ,nml,ln.them For r..mn,c. . . *r ex
middle option. They have uird to cipldn hmv my though8 that it L IP .M. could plain Frdr jumping up mdd awn by saying that he is happy kuac his rbtcr
kd fumy thought ibouc lunch, and how h muld cnuw my zubrqum Iw~h- just won the Nobel Prize. Ikhind this erplmation lurk m implicit klirf in a law-
weking a&ms. All hrcc mrs of phenomena are, ha-, the rubjra of whal like qulariry, vlz. 'if wmcnnc deircr x, and x occurs. then (dl other thingr br-
philorophendl'mcnelirticdiu;ouru."A~iuls nmplcofmmtrlistt divaurw ing qud) !hey feel happy.' hli this mshs ~ommonrmwp sychology look Like r
b the appd to brlieh (md deisr) to eiphin actions. The morc technical phrw lhmq abut the invisible, but caurallyprcnt, roots of int~llig~bneth avior. What.
'propxiriond anitudc prycholoa" highlights thc rlrnderd ahav of such cxpla- fhcn, mn k m8kin8 the theory tm (rrruming rhrt it is)! W)ut i ~balir f (or s
nations: such aplanslionr pir mental atlituds (klievin& hoping icaring, rtr.) how, or r fnr)r ueh $hati t un csua r human kin$ (or prhopr 8 at, dog, sc.1
with rpcific propositions ('that it is mining.' .that the <off- ir in rhc Etchen+" tol~d. i.n m~ a~ ,o,.n.?m.n. n~l tc~ wr.. u)
"that the quirrcl ia up ihc tree," etc.1 so as to aplrin inrrlligcnr action. Thus in a One upon a tame. p~hapr8.1 would hrrr k n~ onahltro mpndt o the
sentence such u "Pep hopes that the win. is chilled," the that-conrmrction in- rhrllengc hy ciling. a IF 11 klnd of iptnn-~ubnancrt.h e 8mmaMal but uorallr
tmducn r propwition ("thc wim is chilled") toward which the .&en! is snpW rmmwdm t ofthr menl.1 lfor mmrcritml dtsruumn. mChut~hlmd1. 1 9811.
la exhibit mme atfiludc (in this -, hoping). Othcr anit~dc(ls uch u brliwing, Pp. 7-22, ind Appmdii Io f the prmrt rnl. Our con<cmr, how", lie qu=rcly~
drsinng. hering. and won) mq,ofcourw, be taken m the smcproposition. Our with aempls ghat pasit nothing extra-nothing beyond hep roprtis md arga-
mcqday vndersturdings of cad othris brhavior involve hefty dosu of propooi- niurion of lhm =rerislb nin, bod), mdw orld. The goal ir a lully mnninlIs!ic
tlonal rn~lvdcaw#tptmonbv: cxrmplr. I may rrplsm Pep*'%rr 1unat.c %uc-yrnl r troq inwhlch m,ndwarcrmrrw<ar nozhong hrr the pl~nn~ouloard rnary pnp
nnr hvrann~"~cybac lrre~ths,th e wne not yn rLUd .ndacnmtha# 81 rc. ki.1 \#am 8nJ pnrnvs in the iamt1i.r phpr.1 world Innfar as the mental am
main m rhr hrdse tar ior mure mlnurn ' any war gmur r.<ordlnp tu rhrv vt-. 01 or kauri #dc pcndr on wmc

MEAT MACHINES
Mindware as Software
1.9 !
v.2 ' Sketches
.
-. . . .. .. . . computer rcientin Manin Minsk once df
ud the human bnin rr a mcat machineno
r IA,-%mrw-, ." Lml *1 no Ins. It is, lobc sure, an ugly phnse. Bur
NANE? it is slso r sniWng image. s compacl expnaion
M,,,M -M ofbath the gcnuinc scientific excitement and the
nnd bh~rw ralhcr png-ho matclidism that tcndcd to char
O. COrn-~nn* aacnrc fhc early year$ of mgnitive scimtifir rc
~nhwana.n d ffsl rnrch. Mindwa-ur thoughts.fmIiny, hop.
9.3 A ~irnia fnn. Mi* and intrllrrcis ra* as nothing hut
< J Sugnnd Rsadings thcopen!ionofihcbiola#cal brin,thr meat mr-
I chine in our hnd. Thi, notion of thc hrnin ir r
mat makineis intmting.for it immrdialrlyin.
vita ur to hK~nro t so much on the mawrial (the mcatl as on the machine: Ihe
w yih c material is organizrd md the kindsofopention it ruppons. Theramcma-
chine (M BOX1 .1) an. afim ell, ohrn he made of imn, or accl, or tunsslrn. or
whotcvcr. What m conhnt ir thus both r re,-tion of the idea of mind as im.
material apirit~rufaf nd an affirmation that mind is k tst udied fmm a kind of
mginrrring pmpmivc lhat meals the nature d !he mrhinr thrall that mt.
white. gny, adr licky rtua happens lo build.
What cuclly is mnnt by carting thc bnin ar s mxhine, nlbeil one made out
I of mnt?T hcrc rxilts a hivtorir.1 rrmd, to be sure. d m.i n"e to understnnd the
workings orthe brain by analogy wirh variour currently fashionabk technologin;
thctdcgnph. !he rtnm endnr. md the trlcphonr swicrhbaard arc ell uid to have
had lhciiayin the sun. ~lvith c "mnf machine" phnrc ir inlendrd, it should n a
bc clear, to da more than him at romc mugh analogy For with rqard to the very
real~ lrouf m chinn knom ts cornpurcm. the dsim is that the bnin lad. by
I