Action Quote by Allen Newell
“The Physical Symbol System Hypothesis. A physical symbol system has the necessary and sufficient means for general intelligent action.”
About This Quote
Source Paper: 1976 "Physical Symbol System Hypothesis", Allen Newell & Herbert A. Simon, 1976
A physical symbol system is sufficient for general intelligent action.
In simple terms: Symbolic systems can produce intelligence.
Key Takeaway
Design AI with symbolic representations.
Themes
AI
cognition
symbolic systems
Mood
analytical
technical
Type
theoretical
scientific
When to use this quote
- robotics
- software design
- cognitive modeling
Key Concepts
computational theory
intelligence
representation
Questions to Reflect On
- Can symbols capture all intelligence?
- What are limits of symbolic models?
A Different Perspective
Symbolic AI may miss non-symbolic aspects.
![“Certain mystes aver that the real world has been constructed by the human mind, since our ways are governed by the artificial categories into which we place essentially undifferentiated things, things weaker than our words for them. [...] We believe we invent symbols. The truth is that they invent…” quote by Gene Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/6df/gene-wolfe-2530_believe_certain-mystes-aver-that-the-real-world_2239852.jpg)
![“[The] amount of search is not a measure of the amount of intelligence being exhibited. What makes a problem a problem is not that a large amount of search is required for its solution, but that a large amount would be required if a requisite level of intelligence were not applied.” quote by Allen Newell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/273/allen-newell-60947_amount_the-amount-of-search-is-not-a-measure-of_862326.jpg)
