Representation in Cognitive Science

Philosophers of cognitive science have largely reached a consensus on the key factors that enable internal states in a system to become representations, both basic and complex.

“What matters for our limited purposes is that, despite some disagreements on the finer details, philosophers of cognitive science have largely reached a consensus on the key factors that enable internal states in a system to become representations, both basic and complex (Coelho Mollo, 2022;Shea, 2018).”

A causal-informational relation must be exploited-used by the system due to its information-carrying nature-for it to contribute to basic representational content.

“An additional requirement often mentioned is that the causal-informational relation be exploited, that is, used by the system due to its information-carrying nature (Shea, 2018).”

The internal states of the swamp system, at least at the moment of creation, would lack any causal-informational relations to the world and lack any functions, including functions to carry information about the world.

“First, the internal states of the swamp system, at least at the moment of creation, would lack any causal-informational relations to the world, given that, by hypothesis, the system has no causal history.Moreover, the absence of a selection and learning history means that the internal states of the swamp system lack any functions, including functions to carry information about the world (Shea, 201”

The parameter values themselves cannot ground representational content; what matters for grounding is the historical process through which those parameters were selected to perform specific functions.

“The parameter values themselves cannot ground representational content.It is worth noting, however, that referential grounding could be established relatively quickly if 𝑀 2 were subsequently fine-tuned.Even a brief learning history would begin to establish the relevant world-involving functions (Shea, 2018).What matters for grounding is not the parameter values per se, but the historical process”