Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Cognitive Computation

  • Published:
Cognitive Computation Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We present a proposal as to how to create a Cognitive Machine. We start by raising a set of basic questions relevant to the creation of such a machine. These include the nature of human cognition and how it might be modelled, is consciousness crucial for cognition, and how might an autonomous cognitive agent impute the internal mental state of another such agent. In the following sections we propose a set of possible answers to these questions. The paper finishes with conclusions as to the most viable and interesting directions to be pursued to create cognitive machines.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Taylor JG. The mind: a user’s manual. Chichester: Wiley; 2006.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Taylor JG. Paying attention to consciousness. Prog Neurobiol. 2003;71:305–35.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Taylor NR, Hartley MR, Taylor JG. The micro-structure of attention. Neural Netw. 2005;19(9):1347–70.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Desmurget M, Grafton S. Forward modelling allows feedback control for fast reaching movements. Trends Cogn Sci. 2000;4(11):423–31.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Taylor JG. CODAM: a model of attention leading to the creation of consciousness. Scholarpedia. 2007;2(11):1598.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Korsten N, Fragopanagos N, Hartley M, Taylor N, Taylor JG. Attention as a controller. Neural Netw. 2006;19:1408–21.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Schluter N, Krams M, Rushworth MFS, Passingham RE. Cerebral dominance for action in the human brain: the selection of actions. Neuropsychologia. 2001;39(2):105–13.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Hartley M, Taylor JG. Towards a neural model of mental simulation. In: Kurková V, Neruda R, Koutník J, editors. Artificial neural networks – ICANN 2008, Proceedings. Lecture notes in computer science, vol. 5163. Springer; 2008. p. 969–80. ISBN 978-3-540-87535-2.

  9. Korsten N, Fragopanagos N, Taylor JG. Neural substructures for appraisal in emotion: self-esteem and depression. In: Marques de Sa J, Alexandre LA, Duch W, Mandovic D, editors. Artificial neural networks – ICANN 2007, Part II. Berlin: Springer; 2007. p. 850–8.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  10. Weir AAS, Chappell J, Kacelnik A. Shaping of tools in New Caledonian Crows. Science. 2002;297:981–3.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Taylor JG, Kasderidis S, Trahanias P, Hartley M. A basis for cognitive machines. In: Kollias S, Stafylopatis A, Duch W, Oja E, editors. Artificial neural networks – ICANN 2006, Part I, Proceedings. Lecture notes in computer science, vol. 4131. Springer; 2006. p. 573–82. ISBN 13 978-3-540-38625-4.

  12. Gergely G, Csibra G. Teleological reasoning in infancy: the naive theory of rational action. Trends Cogn Sci. 2003;7:287–92.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Taylor NR, Taylor JG. A novel novelty detector. In: Marques de Sa J, Alexandre LA, Duch W, Mandovic D, editors. Artificial neural networks – ICANN 2007, Part II. Berlin: Springer; 2007. p. 973–83.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  14. Tanji J, Shima K, Mushiake H. Multiple cortical motor areas and temporal sequencing of movements. Brain Res Cogn Brain Res. 1996;5(1–2):117–22.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Taylor NR, Taylor JG. The neural networks for language in the brain: creating LAD, ch. 9. In: Hecht-Nielsen R, McKenna T, editors. Computational models for neuroscience. London: Springer; 2003. p. 245–66.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Taylor JG, Taylor NR, Apolloni B, Orovas C. Constructing symbols as manipulable structures by recurrent networks proc ICANN 2002.

  17. iTALK at http://www.italkproject.org/.

  18. Hurley S, Nudds M, editors. Rational animals? Oxford: Oxford University Press; 2006.

    Google Scholar 

  19. For results of the GNOSYS program see: http://www.cs.forth.gr/gnosys. Accessed 01 Jan 2009.

  20. Damasio A. Descartes’ error. New York: Picador Press; 2000.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Taylor JG. The race for consciousness. Cambridge: MIT Press; 1999.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Crick F, Koch C. What is the function of the claustrum? Philos Trans R Soc B. 2005;360:1271–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. LaBerge D. Defining awareness by the triangular circuit of attention. Psyche. 1998;4(7). .http://psyche.cs.monash.edu.au/v4/psyche-4-07-laberge.html.

  24. Shoemaker S. Self reference & self-awareness. J Philos. 1968;65:555–67.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Fragopanagos N, Kockelkoren S, Taylor JG. A neurodynamic model of the attentional blink. Brain Res Cogn Brain Res. 2005;24:568–86.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Zahavi D. Subjectivity & selfhood. Cambridge: MIT Press; 2005.

    Google Scholar 

  27. Sokolowski R. Introduction to phenomenology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press; 2000.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Sartre J-P. Being and nothingness. London: Routledge; 1943.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Rizzolatti G, Fadiga L, Gallesse V, Fogassi L. Premotor cortex and the recognition of motor actions. Brain Res Cogn Brain Res. 1996;3:131–42.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Raos V, Evangeliou MN, Savaki HE. Observation of action: grasping and the mind’s hand. Neuroimage. 2004;23:193–204.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank the Cognitive Systems Unit of the EU for financial support through the GNOSYS project to create a cognitive robot (2004-7) and the MATHESIS project on Observational Learning (2006-9), as well as the EPSRC of the UK for support for developing a control model of attention (2003-6). He would also like to thank his numerous young colleagues involved in those projects for stimulating discussions.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mathematics, King’s College Strand, London, WC2R2LS, UK

    J. G. Taylor

Authors
  1. J. G. Taylor
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to J. G. Taylor.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Taylor, J.G. Cognitive Computation. Cogn Comput 1, 4–16 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12559-008-9001-8

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12559-008-9001-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation