INS_ATGE@JHUVMS.BITNET (04/22/88)
Carole Hafner pointed out that one reason why we pursue AI is
curiosity about what computers can do. Another equally valid reason
is the possibility of finding out what -we- as intelligent systems can
do, and possibly -how- we do it.
Not all of AI is directly relevant to psychological and neurological
study, but some parts of it is. It definately provides a way to determine
the relative complexity of problems using certain AI algorithms, and thus
when we find that the computer is has trouble doing what we easily and
quickly do, we know that the brain isn't thinking in that manner.
(That is, AI provides both positive and negative evidence to psychological
theories).
Computational neuroscience has already had an effect on modern
physiological psychology. In the future, with neural networks and other
"natural-like" AI systems, we might learn even more.
-Thomas Edwards
from the positivist school for good technology