Tractable Competence

Author: Frixione M.

Source: Minds and Machines, Volume 11, Number 3, August 2001 , pp. 379-397(19)

Publisher: Springer

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Abstract:

In the study of cognitive processes, limitations on computational resources (computing time and memory space) are usually considered to be beyond the scope of a theory of competence, and to be exclusively relevant to the study of performance. Starting from considerations derived from the theory of computational complexity, in this paper I argue that there are good reasons for claiming that some aspects of resource limitations pertain to the domain of a theory of competence.

Keywords: competence vs. performance; computational complexity; levels of cognitive explanation

Language: English

Document Type: Regular paper

Affiliations: 1: Department of Communication Sciences, University of Salerno, via Ponte Don Melillo, I-84084 Fisciano (Salerno), Italy; E-mail: frix@distunige. it

Publication date: 2001-08-01