Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-zzh7m Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-27T04:46:03.420Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Computational modeling of analogy: Destined ever to only be metaphor?1

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 July 2008

Ann Speed
Affiliation:
Cognitive and Exploratory Systems Department, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM 87185-1011. aespeed@sandia.govhttp://www.sandia.gov

Abstract

The target article by Leech et al. presents a compelling computational theory of analogy-making. However, there is a key difficulty that persists in theoretical treatments of analogy-making, computational and otherwise: namely, the lack of a detailed account of the neurophysiological mechanisms that give rise to analogy behavior. My commentary explores this issue.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2008

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Barabas, H. (2000) Connections underlying the synthesis of cognition, memory, and emotion in primate prefrontal cortices. Brain Research Bulletin 52:319–30.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dietrich, E. & Markman, A. B. (2003) Discrete thoughts: Why cognition must use discrete representations. Mind and Language 18:95119.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Eliasmith, C. & Thagard, P. (2001) Integrating structure and meaning: A distributed model of analogical mapping. Cognitive Science 25:245–86.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Elston, G. N. (2003) Cortex, cognition and the cell: New insights into the pyramidal neuron and prefrontal function. Cerebral Cortex 13:1124–38.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gentner, D. & Markman, A. B. (1997) Structure mapping in analogy and similarity. American Psychologist 52:4556.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Grossberg, S. (1999) The link between brain learning, attention, and consciousness. Consciousness and Cognition 8:144.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hofstadter, D. R. (2001) Epilogue: Analogy as the core of cognition. In: The analogical mind: Perspectives from cognitive science, ed. Gentner, D., Holyoak, K. J. & Kokinov, B. N., pp. 499538. MIT Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Holyoak, K. J. & Thagard, P. (1995) Mental leaps: Analogy in creative thought. MIT Press.Google Scholar
Hummel, J. E. & Holyoak, K. J. (2003) A symbolic-connectionist theory of relational inference and generalization. Psychological Review 110:220–63.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mesulam, M. M. (1998) From sensation to cognition. Brain 121:1013–52.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mogami, T. & Tanaka, K. (2006) Reward association affects neuronal responses to visual stimuli in macaque TE and perirhinal cortices. Journal of Neuroscience 26(25):6761–70.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Novick, L. R. (1988) Analogical transfer, problem similarity, and expertise. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition 14:510–20.Google ScholarPubMed
Ross, B. H. (1987) This is like that: The use of earlier problems and the separation of similarity effects. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition 13:629–39.Google Scholar
Ross, B. H. & Kennedy, P. T. (1990) Generalizing from the use of earlier examples in problem solving. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition 16:4255.Google Scholar
Rougier, N. P., Noelle, D., Braver, T. S., Cohen, J. D. & O'Reilly, R. C. (2005) Prefrontal cortex and the flexibility of cognitive control: Rules without symbols. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 102:7338–43.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Spivy, M. (2007) The continuity of mind. Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Tanaka, K. (1992) Inferotemporal cortex and higher visual functions. Current Opinion in Neurobiology 2:502505.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed