Part 1 First steps: a bird's backyard analogic from Socrates to Velcro and Vietnam indirect communication ripples in the air creative connections overview. 2 Breaking loose: funes chains reacting thinking similarity structure models purpose cause summary. 3 The analogical ape: sameness what Sarah thinks how thought evolved analogies of apes invention problems hitting wall 4 child: Lori's magic carpet toward system mapping first relations early relational personification next steps 5...

A theory of analogical mapping between source and target analogs based upon interacting structural, semantic, pragmatic constraints is proposed here. The structural constraint isomorphism encourages mappings that maximize the consistency relational corresondences elements two analogs. semantic similarity supports hypotheses to degree mapped predicates have similar meanings. centrality favors involving analogist believes be important in order achieve purpose for which analogy being used....

Abstract This target article presents a new computational theory of explanatory coherence that applies to the acceptance and rejection scientific hypotheses as well reasoning in everyday life. The consists seven principles establish relations local between hypothesis other propositions. A coheres with propositions it explains, or explain it, participate explaining propositions, offer analogous explanations. Propositions are incoherent each if they contradictory. describe results observation...

Philosophy of science attempts to describe all parts the scientific process in a general way order facilitate description, execution and improvements this process.So far, proposed philosophies have only covered existing processes disciplines partially imperfectly.In particular logical approaches always received lot attention due fundamentally address issues with definition as discipline reductionist theories.We propose new approach problem from perspective computational complexity argue why...

The use of analogy in human thinking is examined from the perspective a multiconstraint theory, which postulates 3 basic types constraints: similarity, structure, and purpose. operation these constraints apparent laboratory experiments on naturalistic settings, including politics, psychotherapy, scientific research. theory has been implemented detailed computational simulations analogical mind.

Cognitive science approaches the study of mind and intelligence from an interdisciplinary perspective, working at intersection philosophy, psychology, artificial intelligence, neuroscience, linguistics, anthropology. With Mind, Paul Thagard offers introduction to this field for readers who come subject with very different backgrounds. It is suitable classroom use by students interests ranging computer engineering psychology philosophy. Thagard's systematic descriptions evaluations main...

Contrary to standard assumptions, reasoning is often an emotional process. Emotions can have good effects, as when a scientist gets excited about line of research and pursues it successfully despite criticism. But emotions also distort reasoning, juror ignores evidence guilt just because the accused seems like nice guy. In Hot Thought, Paul Thagard describes mental mechanisms -- cognitive, neural, molecular, social that interact produce different kinds human thinking, from everyday decision...

The reconciliation of theories concepts based on prototypes, exemplars, and theory-like structures is a longstanding problem in cognitive science. In response to this problem, researchers have recently tended adopt either hybrid that combine various kinds representational structure, or eliminative replace with more finely grained taxonomy mental representations. paper, we describe an alternative approach involving single class representations called "semantic pointers." Semantic pointers are...

This paper provides a computational characterization of coherence that applies to wide range philosophical problems and psychological phenomena. Maximizing is matter maximizing satisfaction set positive negative constraints. After comparing five algorithms for coherence, we show how our overcomes traditional objections about circularity truth.

Abstract Many kinds of creativity result from combination mental representations. This paper provides a computational account how creative thinking can arise combining neural patterns into ones that are potentially novel and useful. We defend the hypothesis such combinations mechanisms bind together activity by process convolution, mathematical operation interweaves structures. describe computer simulations show feasibility using convolution to produce emergent support cognitive emotional...