1. Informational Networks
The 2009 North American Conference on
Computing and Philosophy
Indiana University in Bloomington
Informational Networks
A (meta-)architecture for situated cognition
Orlin Vakarelov
Philosophy & Cognitive Science
University of Arizona

2. Goals
Suggest an architectural framework for situated cognitions such that:
Existing architectural approaches (Symbolic AI, Connectionism, etc.) can be conceived as special cases.
The architecture takes seriously the common conception that cognition involves informational processes.
Cognitive processes are closely integrated with the dynamical interactions of the cognitive agent with the world.
The proposed framework of an information media network must allow many architectural characteristics to fall out naturally from the structure.
The framework must achieve the right balance of abstraction and concreteness to force many central “engineering” considerations to have theoretical significance.
NACAP 09

3. Information NACAP 09 Information in Dynamical Systems
Informational processes are highly constrained dynamical processes
Semiotic (pragmatic) approach to information
Semantic information in the most general form requires semiosis
Structural approach to informational systems
The formal properties of informational systems are defined by specifying informational transformations on them
NACAP 09

4. Similar approaches Barwise & Seligman – theory of information flow
Minsky – Society of Mind
Modularity hypothesis (e.g. Fodor)
Ed Hutchins – Distributed cognition:
“[Computation] is accomplished by the propagation of representational state across a series of representational media Representational states are propagated from one medium to another by bringing the states of the media into coordination with one another.” (Cognition in the Wild, p.117)
NACAP 09

5. Informational media M=<D, IC, F>
D is a dynamical system with a collection of dynamical states.
IC is a collection of disjoint sets of states of D interpreted as information carrying states.
F is a collection of functions on D that respect IC
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6. NACAP 09 Dynamical Information Carrying States States
Information Preserving Function c c
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7. Informational transformations
Information processing transformations
Transformations within an informational medium
Examples: formal reasoning, operations of a neural network, etc.
The dynamics of the system may define canonical processing transformations
Information management transformations
Transformations between informational media
Examples: converting a visual image of ice-cream to language, converting a diagrammatic geometric problem to analytic form
The coupled dynamics may define canonical management transformations
NACAP 09

8. Informational Networks
An informational network is:
A collection of informational media
A set of information processing operations on every medium
A set of information management operations among the media
Dual nature
Dynamical/cause system (M/E system)
Informational system
Informational states can have physical causes and effects.
NACAP 09

9. Informational Networks
NACAP 09

10. Cognitive systems as IN
Traditional architectures, GOFAI and connectionism, can be absorbed in the formalism, but as degenerate special cases
Dual nature allows an architecture that is both situated/embodied and has a high- level informational description
Focus on distributiveness
Division of labor and coordination of different complimentary skills
NACAP 09

11. Kinds of Media Sensing Computing Active Transducing
Information manipulators
Etc.
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12. Network topology Making network topology a central issue
Hierarchies/levels of abstraction
Self-modifying networks
Useful theoretical distinctions:
Example:
Distributed vs. Modular architecture
NACAP 09