report available

[mclennan@cs.utk.edu]

     ** Please do not forward to other lists.  Thank you. **

The following technical report has been placed in the Neuroprose
archives at Ohio State.  Ftp instructions follow the abstract.

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                       Characteristics of
             Connectionist Knowledge Representation

                         Bruce MacLennan
                   Computer Science Department
                     University of Tennessee
                       Knoxville, TN 37996
                      maclennan at cs.utk.edu

                   Technical Report CS-91-147*

                            ABSTRACT:

Connectionism -- the use of neural networks for knowledge
representation and inference -- has profound implications for the
representation and processing of information because it provides
a fundamentally new view of knowledge.  However, its progress is
impeded by the lack of a unifying theoretical construct
corresponding to the idea of a calculus (or formal system) in
traditional approaches to knowledge representation.  Such a con-
struct, called a simulacrum, is proposed here, and its basic pro-
perties are explored. We find that although exact classification
is impossible, several other useful, robust kinds of classifica-
tion are permitted.  The representation of structured information
and constituent structure are considered, and we find a basis for
more flexible rule-like processing than that permitted by conven-
tional methods.  We discuss briefly logical issues such as deci-
dability and computability and show that they require reformula-
tion in this new context.  Throughout we discuss the implications
for artificial intelligence and cognitive science of this new
theoretical framework.

* Modified slightly for electronic distribution.

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                        FTP INSTRUCTIONS

Either use Getps script, or do the following:

     unix> ftp archive.cis.ohio-state.edu (or 128.146.8.52)
     Name: anonymous
     Password: neuron
     ftp> cd pub/neuroprose
     ftp> binary
     ftp> get maclennan.cckr.ps.Z
     ftp> quit
     unix> uncompress maclennan.cckr.ps.Z
     unix> lpr maclennan.cckr.ps (or however you print postscript)

Note that the postscript version is missing a (nonessential) fig-
ure that has been pasted into the hardcopy version.  If you need
hardcopy, then send your request to:

                       library at cs.utk.edu

Your comments are welcome,

     Bruce MacLennan
     Department of Computer Science
     The University of Tennessee
     Knoxville, TN 37996-1301

     (615)974-0994/5067
     FAX: (615)974-4404
     maclennan at cs.utk.edu