Argue for or against this claim: To understand cognition, the idea of “mind as a Watt`s governor” is much better than “mind as a computer.”

What will be an ideal response?

Answer:

The mind as a Watt’s governor is a stronger metaphor over mind as a computer because it better explains cognition and provides a stronger framework.

Mind as a computer explains a lot of behaviours like intentions and meanings, problem solving including explanation, planning and decision making and the ability to learn.

The mind as a computer metaphor has a lot of limitations. Symbols, data, processing symbols and their manipulation is limited without a concept of self.

The Watt’s governor is a metaphor for largely a more dynamic system, i.e. interdependence between system components and relationships. E.g the flocking of birds, the speed of neurons in the human brain.

Watt’s governor suggests a connection between mind, body, and environment in real time as opposed to the limitations of the mind as a computer which is not at the current