A theory of computational implementation
pp. 1277-1307
Résumé
I articulate and defend a new theory of what it is for a physical system to implement an abstract computational model. According to my descriptivist theory, a physical system implements a computational model just in case the model accurately describes the system. Specifically, the system must reliably transit between computational states in accord with mechanical instructions encoded by the model. I contrast my theory with an influential approach to computational implementation espoused by Chalmers, Putnam, and others. I deploy my theory to illuminate the relation between computation and representation. I also rebut arguments, propounded by Putnam and Searle, that computational implementation is trivial.
Détails de la publication
Publié dans:
(2014) Synthese 191 (6).
Pages: 1277-1307
DOI: 10.1007/s11229-013-0324-y
Citation complète:
Rescorla Michael, 2014, A theory of computational implementation. Synthese 191 (6), 1277-1307. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11229-013-0324-y.