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Single Idea 7512

[from 'The Blank Slate' by Steven Pinker, in 17. Mind and Body / E. Mind as Physical / 4. Connectionism ]

Full Idea

Connectionist networks have difficulty with the kind/individual distinction (ducks/this duck), with compositionality (relations), with quantification (reference of 'all'), with recursion (embedded thoughts), and the categorical reasoning (exceptions).

Gist of Idea

There are five types of reasoning that seem beyond connectionist systems

Source

report of Steven Pinker (The Blank Slate [2002], Ch.5) by PG - Db (ideas)

Book Reference

Pinker,Steven: 'The Blank Slate' [Penguin 2003], p.80


A Reaction

[Read Pinker p.80!] These are essentially all the more sophisticated aspects of logical reasoning that Pinker can think of. Personally I would be reluctant to say a priori that connectionism couldn't cope with these things, just because they seem tough.