Some Neural Networks Compute, Others Don’t

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Abstract

I address whether neural networks perform computations in the sense of computability theory and computer science. I explicate and defend the following theses. (1) Many neural networks compute—they perform computations. (2) Some neural networks compute in a classical way. Ordinary digital computers, which are very large networks of logic gates, belong in this class of neural networks. (3) Other neural networks compute in a non-classical way. (4) Yet other neural networks do not perform computations. Brains may well fall into this last class.
Original languageAmerican English
JournalNeural Networks
Volume21
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 2008

Keywords

  • Brain
  • Cognition
  • Computation
  • Connectionism
  • Mechanism
  • Neural Network

Disciplines

  • Philosophy

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