2026-09-22T09:34:52Zhttps://api.repository.cam.ac.uk/server/oai/request

oai:www.repository.cam.ac.uk:1810/2860672025-12-20T02:38:55Zcom_1810_273com_1810_256061col_1810_221775

The Mind as a Predictive Modelling Engine: Generative Models, Structural Similarity, and Mental Representation 10.17863/CAM.33386 Williams, Daniel George 0000000297742910 Holton, Richard I outline and defend a theory of mental representation based on three ideas that I extract from the work of the mid-twentieth century philosopher, psychologist, and cybernetician Kenneth Craik: first, an account of mental representation in terms of idealised models that capitalize on structural similarity to their targets; second, an appreciation of prediction as the core function of such models; and third, a regulatory understanding of brain function. I clarify and elaborate on each of these ideas, relate them to contemporary advances in neuroscience and machine learning, and favourably contrast a predictive model-based theory of mental representation with other prominent accounts of the nature, importance, and functions of mental representations in cognitive science and philosophy. University of Cambridge 2018-12-07 Thesis Doctoral Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) en This work was supported by the Arts and Humanities Research Council. https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/286067 https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/bitstreams/02bd8e4c-98ad-41ae-a0a3-408aaf4df162/download 05463b0339096e19c7f622b48b3c10ab https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/bitstreams/0be0dbd5-f1a9-4523-97d6-d8ecf3b52451/download 87eda9de84448d1f82354d60eee3eb5f https://www.rioxx.net/licenses/all-rights-reserved/ mental representation predictive coding predictive processing philosophy generative models structural resemblance structural similarity