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Article 4486 of comp.ai.philosophy:
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>From: onstott@a.cs.okstate.edu (ONSTOTT CHARLES OR)
Newsgroups: comp.ai.philosophy
Subject: Re: Definition of Understanding
Message-ID: <1992Mar16.222818.11406@a.cs.okstate.edu>
Date: 16 Mar 92 22:28:18 GMT
References: <1992Mar12.155333.26748@gpu.utcs.utoronto.ca> <1992Mar12.233311.22489@a.cs.okstate.edu> <1992Mar16.143811.6377@gpu.utcs.utoronto.ca>
Organization: Oklahoma State University, Computer Science, Stillwater
Lines: 43

In article <1992Mar16.143811.6377@gpu.utcs.utoronto.ca> pindor@gpu.utcs.utoronto.ca (Andrzej Pindor) writes:
>In article <1992Mar12.233311.22489@a.cs.okstate.edu> onstott@a.cs.okstate.edu (ONSTOTT CHARLES OR) writes:
>>  Tell me what a new born baby does?  What sort of pattern matching goes
>>on in child development that would indicate to you that there exist a
>>"physical pattern matching system" that is the same as in a computer?
>>
>Since we do not know what pattern matching goes on in child development, your 
>question does not make any sense (or may be you know, but then you would
>probably be the only one in the world). May be there exists in a child's mind
>a 'physical pattern matching system', may be not. What indications do you have
>that there isn't one?  All we know is that the child's mind developes under
>influence of signals from the senses going into the brain (plus physiological
>factors). You seem to be unhappy with the prospect of 'physical pattern
>matching system'. What indications do you have of other mechanisms (of 
>recognizing patterns) and what might they be?
>
  First, you need not be so defensive.  Second, it seems to me that whenever
people speculate into the nature of human intelligence, communication, and
thought they tend to neglect what could possibly one of the most significant
processes that determines what these things are about.  I am not arguing
one way or another as to whether there exists any sort of physical pattern
matching system in a baby's head.  I was simply asking if you had a pragmatic
application of your theory to child development.  Seeing as you don't, I 
conclude that you have, as well, overlooked something which may be critical
to a theory of human intelligence.  My question cerainly makes more 
sense than any theory that neglects this possibly important facet of
the life of human intelligence.



BCNya,  
  Charles O. Onstott, III

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Charles O. Onstott, III                  P.O. Box 2386
Undergraduate in Philosophy              Stillwater, Ok  74076
Oklahoma State University                onstott@a.cs.okstate.edu


"The most abstract system of philosophy is, in its method and purpose, 
nothing more than an extremely ingenious combination of natural sounds."
                                              -- Carl G. Jung
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