(A)symmetry × (Non)monotonicity: Towards a Deeper Understanding of Key Cognitive Di/Trichotomies and the Common Model of Cognition

AbstractMany dichotomies from across the cognitive sciences can be reduced to one of two fundamental distinctions – (a)symmetry and (non)monotonicity of processing – simplifying greatly the space of dichotomies needed to structure this broad interdisciplinary discipline. Taking the cross-product of these two dichotomies then yields a 2x2 structure of cells that in its turn yields a deeper understanding of two key trichotomies – based on control and content hierarchies – with each mapping to three out of the four cells. This cross-product and its four cells further provide a deeper understanding of the structure of the Common Model of Cognition – an attempt to develop a community consensus concerning the processes and structures implicated in human-like minds – as well as cognitive architectures that map onto it, such as ACT-R, Sigma and Soar – and even AlphaZero – with results that bear on the structure of integrative architectures, models and systems; and on their commonalities, differences and gaps.


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