hendler@ICSI.BERKELEY.EDU (James Hendler) (05/04/89)
CALL FOR PAPERS CONNECTION SCIENCE (Journal of Neural Computing, Artificial Intelligence and Cognitive Research) Special Issue -- HYBRID SYMBOLIC/CONNECTIONIST SYSTEMS Connectionism has recently seen a major resurgence of interest among both artificial intelligence and cognitive science researchers. The spectrum of connectionist approaches is quite large, ranging from structured models, in which individual network units carry meaning, through distributed models of weighted networks with learning algorithms. Very encouraging results, particularly in ``low-level'' perceptual and signal processing tasks, are being reported across the entire spectrum of these models. Unfortunately, connectionist systems have had more limited success in those ``higher cognitive'' areas where symbolic models have traditionally shown promise: expert reasoning, planning, and natural language processing. While it may not be inherently impossible for purely connectionist approaches to handle complex reasoning tasks someday, it will require significant breakthroughs for this to happen. Similarly, getting purely symbolic systems to handle the types of perceptual reasoning that connectionist networks perform well would require major advances in AI. One approach to the integration of connectionist and symbolic techniques is the development of hybrid reasoning systems in which differing components can communicate in the solving of problems. This special issue of the journal Connection Science will focus on the state of the art in the development of such hybrid reasoners. Papers are solicited which focus on: Current artificial intelligence systems which use connectionist components in the reasoning tasks they perform. Theoretical or experimental results showing how symbolic computations can be implemented in, or augmented by, connectionist components. Cognitive studies which discuss the relationship between functional models of higher level cognition and the ``lower level'' implementations in the brain. The special issue will give special consideration to papers sharing the primary emphases of the Connection Science Journal which include: 1) Replicability of Results: results of simulation models should be reported in such a way that they are repeatable by any competent scientist in another laboratory. The journal will be sympathetic to the problems that replicability poses for large complex artificial intelligence programs. 2) Interdisciplinary research: the journal is by nature multidisciplinary and will accept articles from a variety of disciplines such as psychology, cognitive science, computer science, language and linguistics, artificial intelligence, biology, neuroscience, physics, engineering and philosophy. It will particularly welcome papers which deal with issues from two or more subject areas (e.g. vision and language). Papers submitted to the special issue will also be considered for publication in later editions of the journal. All papers will be refereed. The expected publication date for the special issue is Volume 2(1), March, 1990. DEADLINES: Submission of papers June 15, 1989 Reviews/decisions September 30, 1989 Final rewrites due December 15, 1989. Authors should send four copies of the article to: Prof. James A. Hendler Associate Editor, Connection Science Dept. of Computer Science University of Maryland College Park, MD 20742 USA Those interested in submitting articles are welcome to contact the editor via e-mail (hendler@brillig.umd.edu - US Arpa or CSnet) or in writing at the above address.