Maguire, Phil and Mulhall, Oisin and Maguire, Rebecca and Taylor, Jessica (2015) Compressionism: A Theory of Mind Based on Data Compression. CEUR Workshop Proceedings, 1419. pp. 294-299. ISSN 1613-0073

Preview

Download (99kB) | Preview

Abstract

The theory of functionalism holds that mental states are constituted solely by the functional organisation of an implementing system. We propose that the specific mechanism supporting both intelligence and consciousness is data compression. Recent approaches to cognition and artificial intelligence, based on a branch of theoretical computer science known as algorithmic information theory (AIT), have proposed a computational view of induction, prediction, understanding and consciousness which is founded on this concept. Building on existing literature we propose the term ‘compressionism’ as a label to unite theories which recognise intelligent, cognisant systems as sophisticated data compressors. We show how data compression can shed light on information binding and offer a novel perspective on the hard problem of consciousness.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Cognitive Science, Torino, Italy, September 25-27, 2015.
Keywords:	Consciousness; data compression; artificial intelligence; integrated information; combination problem;
Academic Unit:	Faculty of Science and Engineering > Computer Science Faculty of Science and Engineering > Psychology
Item ID:	10621
Identification Number:	urn:nbn:de:0074-1419-2
Depositing User:	Phil Maguire
Date Deposited:	13 Mar 2019 16:33
Journal or Publication Title:	CEUR Workshop Proceedings
Publisher:	CEUR
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	Organisation
Use Licence:	This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here

Repository Staff Only(login required)

Item control page

Downloads

Origin of downloads