bks@alfa.berkeley.edu (Brad Sherman) (01/04/91)
In article <1990Dec21.154213.6876@csn.org> stevens@ganglion.colorado.edu (Curt Stevens) writes: > >connectionism or in the area of knowledge-based systems or cooperative problem >solving. The position is open as to rank. An important selection criterion will >be the candidate's potential to contribute to the Institute's interdisciplinary >missions in research, teaching, and service. Candidates in the connectionist >area should have demonstrated ability to contribute to connectionist theory as >well as connectionist approaches to cognitive science. Forgive my extreme ignorance, but could someone give a thumbnail sketch of "connectionism." It seems not to exist in my dictionary, nor can I find it in the title of any periodical in the UCB on-line database (unless it is also known as "Connection Science"). ---------------------------------------- Brad Sherman (bks@alfa.berkeley.edu)
pnm@goanna.cs.rmit.oz.au (Paul Menon) (01/04/91)
In article <1991Jan3.205417.24369@agate.berkeley.edu>, bks@alfa.berkeley.edu (Brad Sherman) writes: > Forgive my extreme ignorance, but could someone give a thumbnail sketch > of "connectionism." It seems not to exist in my dictionary, nor can > I find it in the title of any periodical in the UCB on-line database > (unless it is also known as "Connection Science"). Connectionism, I believe, is the term applied to the theory and application of neural-networks. It may be far more general than that, eg, to include ultra-large networks of computers/entities. Paul Menon pnm@goanna.cs.rmit.oz.au
efrethei@blackbird.afit.af.mil (Erik J. Fretheim) (01/05/91)
pnm@goanna.cs.rmit.oz.au (Paul Menon) writes: >In article <1991Jan3.205417.24369@agate.berkeley.edu>, bks@alfa.berkeley.edu (Brad Sherman) writes: >> Forgive my extreme ignorance, but could someone give a thumbnail sketch >> of "connectionism." It seems not to exist in my dictionary, nor can >> I find it in the title of any periodical in the UCB on-line database >> (unless it is also known as "Connection Science"). > Connectionism, I believe, is the term applied to the theory and application >of neural-networks. It may be far more general than that, eg, to include >ultra-large networks of computers/entities. Connectionism is a philosophy which has replaced machine functionalism as the latest "in" philosophy. Instead of believing in the mind/frog/whatever as a collection of turing machines which operate on their internal tapes and environmental inputs, connectionists believe that responses and intelligent behaviour are immergent properties which can be duplicated if only we can get enough connections and which because of their massive numbers can never be truely understood, only worshi.. (I mean) studied. This is not to say everyone who likes neural nets and lots of connections ascribes to these beliefs, but then only the purists believe the brain is a true turing machine anyway. The trick is to use the tools and avoid the dogma. ejf -- -- Erik J Fretheim efrethei@afit.af.mil AFIT/ENA Box 4151 (ATTN: CPT FRETHEIM) (513)255-5276 AVN785-5276 WPAFB, OH 45431 USA