Title: Platonic theory of mind

• Objective: for many people gap between neuroscience and psychology is the greatest mystery than science is facing. How can my internal states, my feelings and thoughts, be at the same time neural activations? Define a series of approximations leading from neurophysiological events related to perception and described using neural models and dynamical systems, to mind events, described in psychological spaces. This should avoid reducing description of behavior to deterministic or probabilistic automata, showing that an intermediate level of description exist, level that can be related to the inner experience on one side, and to the neurodynamics on the other.

  In metaphoric language: mind is a shadow of neurodynamics.
  This invokes the allegory of shadows on the wall of a cave, proposed by Plato.

  Work out the theory of psychological spaces and apply it to construct new neurofuzzy systems. Show that such models of mind are philosophically sound and that consciousness may be included as a bonus. Use fuzzy symbolic dynamics to illustrate these processes.

• Participants: W. Duch ++
• Time: from 1994

Results:

Most papers are in PDF linked to on-line publication list or linked to my personal publication list.
Papers are in reverse chronological order.

Many PPT presentations ilustrate some of my ideas, see the list of talks here, for example "Mind from brain: physics & neuroscience", "Conscious mind as a limit of brain-like computing", "Attractor neural networks and concept formation in psychological spaces", or 1995 talk "Towards a plausible theory of mind".

See also related projects on computational creativity and on semantic spaces and word games, focusing on neurocognitive approach to language.

The best initial introduction to this model is in:

• Duch W (1997) Platonic model of mind as an approximation to neurodynamics.
  In: Brain-like computing and intelligent information systems, ed. S-i. Amari, N. Kasabov (Springer, Singapore 1997), chap. 20, pp. 491-512

  Other closely related papers:

• Duch W, Mind-Brain Relations, Geometric Perspective and Neurophenomenology,
  American Philosophical Association Newsletter 12(1), 1-7, 2012.

• Duch W, Neurodynamics and the mind.
  Proc. of the International Joint Conference on Neural Networks, San Jose, CA, IEEE Press, pp. 3227-3234, 2011.
  IJCNN special session, initially called "What Neural Modeling Tells Us about Ourselves''. Some rearks why it may be difficult to identify subjective dimensions through introspection and in models.
• Dobosz K, Duch W, Visualization for Understanding of Neurodynamical Systems.
  Cognitive Neurodynamics 5(2), 145-160, 2011.

This and other papers on our visualization of trajectories show spontenous thought associations, and hopefully may be extended to illustrate dynamics of mental events.

• Dobosz K, Duch W. (2010) Understanding Neurodynamical Systems via Fuzzy Symbolic Dynamics.
  Neural Networks Vol. 23 (2010) 487-496, 2010
  http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neunet.2009.12.005
• Duch W, Brain-inspired conscious computing architecture.
  Journal of Mind and Behavior, Vol. 26(1-2), 1-22, 2005
• Duch W (1999) Conscious mind as a limit of brain-like computing.
  KMK UMK Technical Report 2/1999; also submitted to Mind and Machines (was in revision, but we never got finished).
• Duch W (1998) Neural implementation of psychological spaces.
  Int. Conf. on Neural Network and Brain, Beijing, China, October 1998, pp. 32-35
• Duch W (1996) Computational physics of the mind.
  Computer Physics Communication 97: 136-153

• Duch W (1996) From cognitive models to neurofuzzy systems - the mind space approach.
  Systems Analysis-Modelling-Simulation 24 (1996) 53-65

• Duch W (1996) From brain to mind to consciousness without hard problems, Sympozjum Kognitywne '96: Świadomość a Percepcja., Instytut Filozofii UAM, 6-7 Dec. 1996

• Duch W (1996) Categorization, Prototype Theory and Neural Dynamics, 113 KB.
  Proc. of the 4th International Conference on SoftComputing'96, Iizuka, Japan, ed. T. Yamakawa and G. Matsumoto, pp. 482-485 (invited paper, cognitive science session)

• Duch W (1996) On simplifying brain functions.
  Proceedings of the Second Conference on Neural Networks and their applications, Orle Gniazdo, 30.IV-4.V.1996, pp. 118-124

• Duch W (1995) Physics of consciousness.
  IV Krajowa konferencja ,,Modelowanie Systemów biologicznych", Kraków 2-3.06.1995, pp. 101-114
• Duch W (1995) From cognitive models to neurofuzzy systems
  Proc. "System, Modelling, Control", Zakopane, 1-5.05.1995

• Duch W (1995) Psychophysics
  European Summer School on Computing Techniques in Physics, Skalský Dvur, 5-14.09.1995 (Lecture Notes)

• Duch W (1995) Transparent theory of consciousness: is there a problem?
  Behavioral and Brain Sciences (submitted but not published)

• Duch W (1995) Physics of consciousness. IV national conference on "Modeling biological systems'', Kraków 2-3.06.1995, pp. 101-114

• Duch W (1994) Towards Artificial Minds
  In: Materiały Konferencyjne I Krajowej Konferencji "Sieci Neuronowe i ich Zastosowania", Kule, 12-15.IV.1994, pp. 17-28

• Duch W (1994) Mind space approach to neurofuzzy systems, in: Proc. of the Japanese Neural Networks Society 1994, Tsukuba, 9-11.11.1994,Japan, pp. 173-174

• Duch W (1994) Towards Artificial Minds, in: "First national conference on neural networks and their applications", Kule, 12-15.IV.1994, pp. 17-28

• Duch W, A solution to fundamental problems of cognitive sciences.
  Zamojskie Studia i Materiały (ISSN 1507-9090), zeszyt 6, str. 45-70 (red. W. A. Kamiński, CBS Wyższa Szkoła Zarządzania i Administracji w Zamościu, 2001)

Closely related, but in Polish:

• Duch W, Physics of mind. Postępy Fizyki 53D (2002), 92-103 [in Polish]

• Duch W, Geometry of mind. Kognitywistyka i Media w Edukacji, Vol. 6 (2002) 199-230 (appeared in 2003) [in Polish]

• Duch W, Neurocognitive theory of consciousness , Kognitywistyka i Media w Edukacji, T.5 (2) 2001, pp. 47-67 [in Polish]

Computational models inspired by the Platonic theory:

• Duch W and Diercksen GHF (1995) Feature Space Mapping as a universal adaptive system
  Computer Physics Communications 87: 341-371
• Duch W, Adamczak R, Diercksen GHF, Feature space mapping neural network applied to structure-activity relationship problems.
  ICONIP-2000, 7th International Conference on Neural Information Processing, Nov. 2000, Dae-jong, Korea, ed. by Soo-Young Lee, pp. 270 - 274
• Adamczak R, Duch W, Jankowski N (1997) New developments in the Feature Space Mapping model.
  Third Conference on Neural Networks and Their Applications, Kule, October 1997, pp. 65-70
• Duch W, Jankowski N, Naud A, Adamczak R (1995) Feature Space Mapping: a neurofuzzy network for system identification.
  Proc. of Engineering Applications of Neural Networks (EANN'95), Helsinki 21-23.08.1995, pp. 221-224
• Duch W (1994) Floating Gaussian Mapping: a new model of adaptive systems
  Neural Network World 4:645-654

Other related papers:

• Duch W, Computational Models of Dementia and Neurological Problems.
  Book chapter, In: Neuroinformatics, C. Crasto (Ed), "Methods in Molecular Biology" series (J. Walker, series ed.), Humana Press (submitted 12/05)
• Szymanski J, Sarnatowicz T, Duch W, Towards Avatars with Artificial Minds: Role of Semantic Memory.
  Journal of Ubiquitous Computing and Intelligence, American Scientific Publishers (in print)
• Duch W, Brain-inspired conscious computing architecture.
  Journal of Mind and Behavior, Vol. 26(1-2), 1-22, 2005
• Duch W, Rules, Similarity, and Threshold Logic.
  Commentary on Emmanuel M. Pothos, The Rules versus Similarity distinction.
  Behavioral and Brain Sciences Vol. 28 (1): 23-23, 2005

• Matykiewicz P, Duch W, Pestian J, Nonambiguous Concept Mapping in Medical Domain,
  Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence, Vol. 4029 (2006) 941--950
• Duch W, Mandziuk J, Quo Vadis Computational Intelligence?
  In: Machine Intelligence. Quo Vadis? Eds: P. Sinčák, J. Vaščák, K. Hirota. Advances in Fuzzy Systems - Applications and Theory - Vol. 21, World Scientific, 2004, pp. 3-28
• Duch W, Just bubbles? Commentary on Steven Lehar, Gestalt Isomorphism and the Primacy of Subjective Conscious Experience: A Gestalt Bubble Model.
  Behavioral and Brain Sciences 26(4) (2003) 410-411

• Duch, W, Complex Agents for Socio-Cognitive Engineering. First International Workshop on Socio-Cognitive Engineering Foundations (SCEF-2003), Rome, Italy, Sept 30 - Oct 1, 2003

• Duch W (2001) Facing the hard question. Behavioral and Brain Sciences 24 (2001) 187-188
• Duch W (2001) Psyche and consciousness, Encyklopedia Multimedialna PWN, 2001 (7 p). [in Polish]

• Duch W, Therapeutic applications of computer models of brain activity for Alzheimer disease .
  J. Medical Informatics and Technologies 5 (2000) 27-34
• Duch W, Consciousness and dynamical model of brain functions.,
  Neurologia i Neurochirurgia Polska T. 34 (50), Supl. 2, 2000, pp. 69-84 [in Polish]
• Duch W, Which theory of mind will be completely satisfactory?
  Kognitywistyka i Media w Edukacji 3(1) (2000) 29 - 53 [in Polish]
• Adamczak R, Duch W, Feature Space Mapping model in classification.
  Biocybernetyka 2000, Tom 6: Sieci neuronowe (red. W. Duch, J. Korbicz, L. Rutkowski i R. Tadeusiewicz), rozdz. III.26, pp. 801-824 (some remarks about cognitive inspirations for FSM model are included). [in Polish]
• Duch W, Neural networks in modeling of neuropsychological syndromes and psychiatric diseases.
  Biocybernetyka 2000, Tom 6: Sieci neuronowe (red. W. Duch, J. Korbicz, L. Rutkowski i R. Tadeusiewicz), rozdz. II.18, pp. 589-616 [in Polish]
• Duch W, Jaka teoria umysłu w pełni nas zadowoli?
  Kognitywistyka i Media w Edukacji 3(1) (2000) 29 - 53 [in Polish]
• Duch W (1999) Spirit and soul, or pre-history of cognitive sciences.
  Kognitywistyka i Media w Edukacji 1 (1999)  pp. 7-38 [in Polish]

• Talk: Mind-body problem, Max Planck Institut for Astrophysics, Munich, 5.08.1994 (I), 8.08.1994 (II)
• Talk: From mind models to neurofuzzy systems, Department of Artificial Intelligence and Cognitive Science, Chukyo University, Nagoya, Japan, 26.11.1994
• Talk: From mind models to neurofuzzy systems, Kyushu University of Technology, Iizuka, Japan, 20.12.1994
• Talk: Towards a plausible theory of mind, Institute of Physics, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Toruń, 22.3.1995
• Talk: Dynamical system approach to models of mind, Birmingham University, UK, 30.3.1995
• Talk: Neural models of consciousness, Inst. of Biology, Neurophysiology and Biophysics Dept, NCU, 19.05.1995
• Talk: Physics and metaphysics of consciousness, Konwersatorium kognitywne UMK, Toruń 23.05.1995
• Talk: Physics and metaphysics of consciousness, Lubelskie Towarzystwo Naukowe, Lublin 5.6.1995
• Talk: Perspectives of research on mind and brain, Uniwersytet 3 wieku, Toruń, 6.03.1996
• Talk: Neurophysiology and a Platonic model of mind, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Kitakyushu, Japan, 11.10.1996
• Talk: Models of memory and learning, Department of Artificial Intelligence and Cognitive Science, Chukyo University, Nagoya, Japan 5.12.1996
• Talk: Extraction of logical rules and selection of features using neural networks, Biological and Physiological Engineering Laboratory, Toyohashi University, Toyohashi, Japan, 7.12.1996
• Talk: Neurophysiology and a Platonic model of mind, The University of Electrocommunications, Chofu, 13.12.1996.
• Talk: Neurobiologia i Platoński model umysłu, Wydział Psychologii Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego, 23.01.1997
• Talk: Neurobiologia i Platoński model umysłu, Konwersatorium Kognitywne UMK, 22.04.1997
• Related projects: Categorization, semantic spaces, consciousness, emotions, sensorimotor integration, transpersonal and philosophical issues
  

Log of activities

21.03.97 - this file was created
Wlodzislaw Duch