Includes bibliographical references (p. 521-573) and index.
Contents:
Brains, minds, and numbers -- Computing minds -- Computing brains -- The astonishing hypothesis -- Perception -- Memory -- Language -- Thinking -- Being no one -- Imagine -- The mind in the act of finding.
Summary:
"By analyzing the tasks facing any sentient being that is subject to stimulation and a pressure to act, Shimon Edelman identifies computation as the common denominator in the emerging answers to all these questions. Any system composed of elements that exchange signals with each other and occasionally with the rest of the world can be said to be engaged in computation. A brain composed of neurons is one example of a system that computes, and the computations that the neurons collectively carry out constitute the brain's mind." "Edelman presents a computational account of the entire spectrum of cognitive phenomena that constitute the mind. He begins with sentience, and uses examples from visual perception to demonstrate that it must, at its very core, be a type of computation. Throughout his account, Edelman acknowledges the human mind's biological origins. Along the way, he also demystifies traits such as creativity, language, and individual and collective consciousness, and hints at how naturally evolved minds can transcend some of their limitations by moving to computational substrates other than brains. The book should be read by anyone seeking a comprehensive and current introduction to cognitive psychology."--BOOK JACKET.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.