Awakening from the Meaning Crisis Episode 26 Cognitive Science

Meaning cultivation is a metaphor for the process of meaning making, inspired by Heidegger’s use of the term. It suggests that meaning is not solely imposed by us or found in the world, but rather cultivated between us and the world, like a plant that is tended to and allowed to unfold. This perspective differs from the romantic notion of imposing meaning or simply finding it in the world.

“Meaning is something between us and the world, like the way you cultivate a plant - you’re doing stuff with the plant, but you’re also allowing the plant to unfold. You’re cultivating, with the world, meaning between you and the world.”

Reflective Questions:

• How does the metaphor of meaning cultivation change your perspective on meaning making?
• In what ways do you actively cultivate meaning in your life, and how do you allow meaning to unfold naturally?

Cognitive Agent, Intelligence, General Problem Solver

Intelligence is the core cognitive capacity that enables an individual to be a Cognitive Agent, adaptively responding to the world through meaning cultivation. It goes beyond merely responding to the environment in a sophisticated manner, as a plant might, and instead involves working with meaning.

“Intelligence is the capacity that makes you a cognitive agent. At least an agent whose cognition is working with meaning as opposed to a living thing that is in some sense — like a plant — responding, maybe in a very sophisticated fashion, but it’s just responding in this complex fashion to its environment.”

Reflective Questions:

• What distinguishes a Cognitive Agent from other living things that respond to their environment?
• How does the concept of intelligence as a capacity for meaning cultivation impact your understanding of human cognition?

Meaning Cultivation, General Problem Solver, Rationality Over Intelligence

Intelligence is often tested by measuring an individual’s ability to be a General Problem Solver. This involves assessing their capacity to solve a wide variety of problems across multiple domains. Machines that solve limited problems, such as a cup holding water, are not considered General Problem Solvers. The goal of early artificial intelligence projects, like Newell and Simon’s GPS (General Problem Solver), was to create machines that could solve problems across a broad range of domains.

“You can worry about God and how to get a drink. How to go swimming. How to build a houseboat…! The number of domains in which you can operate is vast and within each one of those domains, there are many different kinds of problems you can solve. You are a general problem solver.”

Reflective Questions:

• How does the concept of a General Problem Solver help clarify the nature of intelligence?
• What implications does the goal of creating artificial General Problem Solvers have for our understanding of human intelligence?

Intelligence, Rationality Over Intelligence, The Process Of Problem Solving Over The Solution

It is important to distinguish between intelligence and rationality. While intelligence is often equated with knowledge, it is more accurately understood as a capacity for problem-solving and learning. Rationality, on the other hand, should be the ultimate goal, rather than merely increasing intelligence.

“Of course having knowledge enables you to do things and in that sense, in a broad sense of activity, it makes you more adoptive to your environment: you can do lots of things, even if those things make claims that other people value for their truth. But [-] if you make these synonymous (intelligence and knowledge), then you can’t use this (intelligence) to explain this (knowledge).”

Reflective Questions:

• How do you distinguish between intelligence and rationality in your own life?
• What steps can you take to cultivate rationality, beyond simply acquiring knowledge or increasing intelligence?

Intelligence, The Process Of Problem Solving Over The Solution, What Is It To Solve A Problem - Newell & Simon

When analyzing problem-solving, it is crucial to focus on the process rather than just the product or solution. Rationality involves valuing the process of problem-solving, not merely fixating on the belief or conclusion reached.

“What we want to ask is “what is it to solve a problem?”. Don’t focus on the product, having the answer, getting the knowledge. Focus on the process. The process. And this is going to be a hallmark — we’ve talked about this before — the hallmark of rationality is valuing the process, not just being fixated on the product, especially the belief, the conclusion.”

Reflective Questions:

• How can focusing on the process of problem-solving, rather than just the solution, enhance your approach to challenges?
• In what ways might fixating on beliefs or conclusions hinder effective problem-solving and rational thinking?

Rationality Over Intelligence, What Is It To Solve A Problem - Newell & Simon

Newell and Simon’s influential work analyzed problem-solving into four basic features: the Initial State (the current situation), the Goal State (the desired outcome), Operators (actions that transform one state into another), and Path Constraints (limitations that preserve the problem-solver’s ability to solve other problems). Problem-solving involves finding a sequence of operations that transform the Initial State into the Goal State while obeying Path Constraints.

“A problem is when there’s a difference between the state you’re in, which they called your initial state (draws a circle on the left of the board with I.S. in it) and the state you want to be, and this is your goal state (draws a circle on the right with G.S. in it). So I have a problem when there’s a significant difference between those, for example, I’m thirsty (I.S.) and I don’t want to be thirsty (G.S.), and those aren’t the same thing.”

Reflective Questions:

• How can breaking down problems into their Initial State, Goal State, Operators, and Path Constraints help you approach problem-solving more effectively?
• What role do Path Constraints play in preserving your ability to solve multiple problems, and how can you identify and consider them when problem-solving?

The Process Of Problem Solving Over The Solution, General Problem Solver, Problem Space or Search Space

The Problem Space, also known as the Search Space, is the entire set of possible states and operations involved in solving a problem, as defined by Newell and Simon’s analysis. By explicating the Problem Space, their work provides powerful insights into the nature of problem-solving.

“Solving a problem is this: it’s to have a sequence of operations (starts to indicated progressing left to right through the operation circles on the board), a sequence of operations that will transform the Initial State into the Goal State while obeying the Path Constraints, preserving me as a General Problem Solver. That’s what it is to solve a problem. And this (brackets the whole diagram on the board), this is called the Problem Space or sometimes called the Search Space.”

Reflective Questions:

• How can visualizing the Problem Space help you better understand and approach complex problems?
• What insights can be gained by exploring the properties and structure of the Problem Space in various problem-solving scenarios?

What Is It To Solve A Problem - Newell & Simon, General Problem Solver, Rationality Over Intelligence