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From: davel@pixar.UUCP (David Longerbeam)
Newsgroups: sci.bio,sci.med,comp.ai,sci.misc
Subject: Re: Taking AI models and applying them to biology...
Message-ID: <836@pixar.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 8-Jun-87 20:02:19 EDT
Article-I.D.: pixar.836
Posted: Mon Jun  8 20:02:19 1987
Date-Received: Thu, 11-Jun-87 06:43:03 EDT
References: <622@unicus.UUCP>
Organization: Pixar -- Marin County, California
Lines: 34
Summary: models of the human mind (not brain)
Xref: mnetor sci.bio:396 sci.med:2375 comp.ai:496 sci.misc:324

In article <622@unicus.UUCP>, craig@unicus.UUCP (Craig D. Hubley) writes:
> 
> This description of the human memory system, though cloaked in vaguer terms,
> corresponds more or less one-to-one with the traditional computer
> architecture we all know and love.  To wit:

  [description deleted]

> At least this far, this theory appears to owe a lot to computer science.
> Granted, there is lots of empirical evidence in favour, but we all know
> how a little evidence can go far too far towards developing an analogy.

One of my philosophy professors in college offered the observation that
models for the human mind have always seemed to correspond to the most
advanced form of technology at that given point in history.  He could 
recall that when he was young, this technology was the combustion engine,
and lo, the cognitive psychologists' model at that time was the combustion
engine.  

Of course, this technology is now the digital computer, and many psychologists,
linguists and computer scientists use it as a model to explain activites
of the human mind.  Some go so far as to say that intelligence is nothing
more than the result of following the same sorts of syntactical rules as
performed by a computer!  

But I stray...
I wanted to point out that you didn't give the source of the above model/
comparison, and that if it is not entirely empirical in nature, it
may be a case of "use the latest technology as the best model".
-- 
David Longerbeam			||  The opinions expressed above
Pixar					||  are not to be contrued as the
San Rafael, CA				||  opinions, stated or otherwise,
ucbvax!pixar!davel  (415) 499-3600	||  of Pixar.