[SPAM: 3.266] [ACT-R-users] Subsymbolic in ACT-R 5.0

[Glenn.Gunzelmann at mesa.afmc.af.mil]

I actually think that the sentence in the abstract gives you a relatively
straightforward answer to the question:

"Subsymbolic processes serve to guide the selection of rules to fire as well
as the internal operations of some modules."

So, there is a component of the figure that refers to the selection of
production rules, a process that depends on subsymbolic values and
computations... score one for those who say it represented in the Basal
Ganglia (specifically the Pallidum).*

*Do note, however, that the subsymbolic layer is not represented by the
production rules, rather the subsymbolic layer is the set of processes that
determine which production rule is executed on a give cycle.

On the other hand, there is another set of subsymbolic values and processes
that operate within the modules. For instance, there is a subsymbolic
component to the declarative module that controls (1) which chunk is
retrieved from declarative memory when a particular request is made and (2)
how long that retrieval will take to execute... score one for those who say
it is not represented in the figure.**

**Although, if one really wanted it to be there, there is a sense in which
the arrows connecting the buffers to the modules represent *some* of these
processes. There are others, however, that are really internal to the
particular modules.

-Glenn



> -----Original Message-----
> From: Roman Belavkin [mailto:R.Belavkin at mdx.ac.uk]
> Sent: Tuesday, September 28, 2004 8:34 AM
> To: Leo Johnson; act-r-users at act-r.psy.cmu.edu
> Subject: RE: [SPAM: 3.266] [ACT-R-users] Subsymbolic in ACT-R 5.0
> 
> 
> I believe the "others" are more correct. Subsymbolic information is stored
> in a form of real numbers associated with each symbol (or pairs of
> symbols). The equations explain the dynamics of these numbers as functions
> of various parameters (e.g. time). It is good to remember that equations
> are models approximating some processes based on what we know about them,
> and it means they are in no way the final "laws".
> 
> Kind regards,
> Roman Bealvkin
> http://gold.mdx.ac.uk/
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: act-r-users-admin at act-r.psy.cmu.edu [mailto:act-r-users-admin at act-
> r.psy.cmu.edu]On Behalf Of Leo Johnson
> Sent: 25 September 2004 16:00
> To: act-r-users at act-r.psy.cmu.edu
> Subject: [SPAM: 3.266] [ACT-R-users] Subsymbolic in ACT-R 5.0
> 
> 
> If this is not the proper forum to pose this question, I know someone will
> direct me immediately to the proper forum where I should direct this
> question.
> 
> I am a doctoral student, and in my seminar class we were discussing
> Anderson's paper "An Integrated Theory of the Mind", and on Page 74 Figure
> 1 illustrates the basic architecture of ACT-R 5.0. The question arose is
> to whether the Subsymbolic is represented in Figure1.  Some students
> argued that the Subsymbolic is represented by the Productions in the Basal
> Ganglia. Others argued that there is no representation of the Subsymbolic
> in Figure 1 because the Subsymbolic is a set of equations that guide
> processes, and these processes are not represented in Figure 1.  This
> debate is getting heated, and before it gets out-of-hand, I wonder if
> anyone can shed light on how to resolve this debate.
> 
> Leo A. Johnson, Jr.
> ljohnso42 at comcast.net
> 
> 
> 
> 
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