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Book

Representation and behavior
Representation and behavior

Representation and behavior .

(2001, Cambridge, MA: MIT Press)

This book is drawn from my thesis The generation of behavior and criticizes the use of representations as the core concept for explaining behavioral phenomena. The context is the discussion started in the late eighties, early nineties (e.g. Van Gelder, Brooks, Beer) about whether representations remain a useful notion, given a situated and embodied understanding of intelligence. In the book, I argue that the notion of representation does not provide a suitable basis for explaining behavioral phenomena. The complexity of sensorimotor processes cannot be cast as a derivative of any internal guiding structure. I claim that the notion of self-organization is a better foundation for understanding behavioral phenomena, and I extend this approach to what Andy Clark called “representation hungry” problems.

Reviews:

Bechtel, W. (2002). Can we forego representations? Contemporary Psychology

Cain, M.J. (2004). Review of F. Keijzer, “Representation and Behavior.” Mind, 113(451) , 559-562.

Chemero, A. (2001). Making space for embodiment. Trends in Cognitive Science, 5(7), 317-318.

Ziemke, T. (2003). Review of F. Keijzer, “Representation and Behavior.” Connection Science, 15(4) , 283-286.

Last modified:24 June 2022 11.24 p.m.