This site has been permanently archived. This is a static copy provided by the University of Southampton.

TY - GEN N1 - This is a very preliminary draft and comments on presentation and validity, suggestions of further illustrations of the model, etc., are invited (email to: bdj10@cam.ac.uk). ID - cogprints1456 UR - http://cogprints.org/1456/ A1 - Josephson, Brian D. TI - Explaining the nervous system in terms of computer programming and the object-class abstraction Y1 - 2002/12// N2 - It is argued that the key to understanding the brain is to view it as a device making extensive use of methodologies developed in computer programming, the idea of compiling source code written in a high-level language providing a mechanism for conceptually linking the two domains. Following the argument through, one arrives at a clarification of what the nervous system in its complexity is all about; it consists of a collection of devices for implementing specific kinds of competence, in ways in principle indicated in detail by application of the object-oriented programming paradigm to the various kinds of processes featuring in cognitive life. AV - public KW - Brain modelling KW - computation KW - development KW - object-oriented programming KW - high-level languages KW - compilation process KW - nativism KW - constructivism ER -