The Physical Symbol System Hypothesis: Status and Prospects

I analyze some of the attacks against the Physical Symbol System Hypothesis--attacks based on the presumed need for symbolgrounding and non-symbolic processing for intelligent behavior and on the supposed non-computational and "mindless" aspects of brains. The physical symbol system hypothesis (PSSH), first formulated by Newell and Simon in their Turing Award paper,1 states that "a physical symbol system [such as a digital computer, for example] has the necessary and sufficient means for intelligent action." The hypothesis implies that computers, when we provide them with the appropriate symbol-processing programs, will be capable of intelligent action. It also implies, as Newell and Simon wrote, that "the symbolic behavior of man arises because he has the characteristics of a physical symbol system." Newell and Simon admitted that The hypothesis could indeed be false. Intelligent behavior is not so easy to produce that any system will exhibit it willy-nil...

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2006
• Where: AI50
• Authors: Nils J. Nilsson
• Keywords: AI50 2006, Artificial Intelligence, Intelligent Action, Intelligent Behavior, Physical Symbol System