Cognition

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Cognition (from Greekγνῶσις gnōsis "knowledge", via Latincognoscere "(to) recognise, (to) experience, to come to know") is, according to conventional definition, "the mental action or process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses".[1] In terms of information theory, however, it is now understood in the broadest sense as the processing of information carried out by a suitable, sufficiently complex system that controls its behaviour, irrespective of whether or not consciousness is associated with it. Such cognitive systems can also be realised purely technically within wide limits, from simple centrifugal governors to highly complex, computer-controlled automata.

This area also includes, in particular, attempts to mechanically reproduce human intelligence, but also emotions and volitional drives, through artificial intelligence. Cognitive science, which is interdisciplinary between philosophy, psychology, linguistics, neuroscience, anthropology and computer science or artificial intelligence, basically assumes that the human brain also functions like a computer in principle and that all mental and psychological activity is ultimately based on computational processes - a thesis that is vigorously disputed by scientists such as John Searle (* 1932) or Roger Penrose (* 1931). Even Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) advocated an early version of this computationalism, according to which the rational mind of man is based exclusively on computational processes: "Ratiocination therefore is the same with Addition and Substraction..."[2] The possibility that human intelligence could be automated or mechanically reproduced had already been considered by Julien Offray de La Mettrie (1709-1751) in his major work L'Homme Machine, published anonymously in 1748.

Literature

References to the work of Rudolf Steiner follow Rudolf Steiner's Collected Works (CW or GA), Rudolf Steiner Verlag, Dornach/Switzerland, unless otherwise stated.
Email: verlag@steinerverlag.com URL: www.steinerverlag.com.
Index to the Complete Works of Rudolf Steiner - Aelzina Books
A complete list by Volume Number and a full list of known English translations you may also find at Rudolf Steiner's Collected Works
Rudolf Steiner Archive - The largest online collection of Rudolf Steiner's books, lectures and articles in English.
Rudolf Steiner Audio - Recorded and Read by Dale Brunsvold
steinerbooks.org - Anthroposophic Press Inc. (USA)
Rudolf Steiner Handbook - Christian Karl's proven standard work for orientation in Rudolf Steiner's Collected Works for free download as PDF.

References

  1. Cognition. Oxford University Press and Dictionary.com. Abgerufen am 24 may 2022.
  2. Thomas Hobbes: Elements of Philosophy, The First Section, Concerning Body, anonymous English translation of [[w:De Corpore|]], p. 3 online