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Connectionism

A movement in cognitive science that models human intellectual abilities by artificial neural networks (a.k.a. 'neural nets'). These are simplified models of the brain with a large number of neuron-equivalent units and the connections between them. Thus connectionism models mental and behavioral phenomena as emergent properties of interconnected networks of simple units.

In contrast to classical computationalism, favored by researchers such as Fodor and Pinker, connectionism does not make the direct analogy to computer-like computation that performs formal operations on symbols like a Turing machine. According to computationalists, connectionism represents a reversion to associationism and abandonment of the idea of a symbolic language of thought.

In philosophy of mind, the recent popularity of dynamical systems have added a new depth to the ongoing debate. By incorporating dynamical systems, connectionism is thus seen to be a more useful model of cognition than pure computationalism.

Web Resources On Connectionism

Connectionism Defined
Connectionism in Wikipedia
Connectionism in SEP

Book Resources On Connectionism

Philosophy of Mind (Dimensions of Philosophy) by Jaegwon Kim
Philosophy of Mind: A Guide and Anthology by John Heil, ed.
Purple Haze: The Puzzle of Consciousness by Joseph Levine

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