Skip to main content

Fodor, functions, physics, and fantasyland: is AI a Mickey Mouse discipline?

Buy Article:

$71.00 + tax (Refund Policy)

It is widely held that the methods of AI are the appropriate methods for cognitive science. Fodor, however, has argued that AI bears the same relation to psychology as Disneyland does to physics. This claim is examined in light of the widespread but paradoxical acceptance of the Turing Test-a behavioural criterion of intelligence-among advocates of cognitivism. It is argued that, given the recalcitrance of certain deep conceptual problems in psychology, and disagreements concerning psychology's basic vocabulary, it is unlikely that AI will prove to be very psychologically enlightening until some consensus on ontological issues in psychology is achieved.

Keywords: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE FUNCTIONALISM METHODOLOGY COGNITIVE SCIENCE

Document Type: Research Article

Publication date: 01 January 1996

More about this publication?
  • Access Key
  • Free content
  • Partial Free content
  • New content
  • Open access content
  • Partial Open access content
  • Subscribed content
  • Partial Subscribed content
  • Free trial content