The Mind as a Predictive Modelling Engine: Generative Models, Structural Similarity, and Mental Representation

I outline and defend a theory of mental representation based on three ideas that I extract from the work of the mid-twentieth century philosopher, psychologist, and cybernetician Kenneth Craik: first, an account of mental representation in terms of idealised models that capitalize on structural similarity to their targets; second, an appreciation of prediction as the core function of such models; and third, a regulatory understanding of brain function. I clarify and elaborate on each of these ideas, relate them to contemporary advances in neuroscience and machine learning, and favourably contrast a predictive model-based theory of mental representation with other prominent accounts of the nature, importance, and functions of mental representations in cognitive science and philosophy.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

Doctoral

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

University of Cambridge

Year dc:date.issued

2018

Author dc:creator

• Williams, Daniel George

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Holton, Richard

• mental representation
• predictive coding
• predictive processing
• philosophy
• generative models
• structural resemblance
• structural similarity

Licence

• https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/bitstreams/0be0dbd5-f1a9-4523-97d6-d8ecf3b52451/download
• https://www.rioxx.net/licenses/all-rights-reserved/

Language dc:language

en

Author Identifier

0000-0002-9774-2910

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.repository.cam.ac.uk:1810/286067