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A cognitive architecture that combines internal simulation with a global workspace.

Murray Shanahan

Consciousness and Cognition June 1, 2006 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2005.11.005 (opens in new tab) via PubMed

Summary

AI-generated from the abstract

A brain-inspired cognitive architecture is proposed that approximates consciousness, imagination, and emotion. It uses a model from global workspace theory to mimic the superior cognitive efficacy of conscious over non-conscious information processing in the mammalian brain. Anticipation and planning are achieved through internal simulation of environmental interaction, and affect mediates action selection in both real and simulated interactions. An implementation using weightless neurons controls a simulated robot.

Study at a glance

Characteristics Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed
Key finding Proposes that a cognitive architecture incorporating approximations of consciousness, imagination, and emotion can control a simulated robot through internal simulation and affect-mediated action selection.

Abstract

This paper proposes a brain-inspired cognitive architecture that incorporates approximations to the concepts of consciousness, imagination, and emotion. To emulate the empirically established cognitive efficacy of conscious as opposed to non-conscious information processing in the mammalian brain, the architecture adopts a model of information flow from global workspace theory. Cognitive functions such as anticipation and planning are realised through internal simulation of interaction with the environment. Action selection, in both actual and internally simulated interaction with the environment, is mediated by affect. An implementation of the architecture is described which is based on weightless neurons and is used to control a simulated robot.

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