Human-like Computers - A Lesson in Absurdity

Some 50 years ago, the computer scientist Joseph Weizenbaum found that the idea that the socialization of a machine might in any way be comparable to the one of a human, is a sign of the madness of our time. Today, the idea is mostly not seen as a mad but rather as a quite plausible one, as are many other ideas about human-likeness of computers, like them having consciousness. At a closer look, however, the alleged human-likeness of computers is merely derived from weak analogies, like them having intelligence just because they can play chess (and nothing else). The book details the psychological and physiological preconditions for human mental functions to occur, ones that cannot possibly be fulfilled by computers. It puts the computers-as-humans issue into the broader philosophical frame of the scientistic view that man is basically a machine.

The State of Higher Mental Functions in Freedivers

The article is devoted to the study of higher mental functions in freedivers performing prolonged breath holdings. The paper presents studies of the influence of prolonged hypoxia on the state of higher mental functions in freedivers, as well as a description of the qualitative characteristics of higher mental functions, in contrast to those people who do not practice this kind of sport.

Neurodidactics — an innovative trend of personalised education

В современном информационном обществе утверждается новая образовательная парадигма — персонализированное обучение. Его содержательным ядром является нейродидактика, исследующая закономерности обучения, связанные с особенностями деятельности высших психических функций мозга. Задача нейродидактики — персонализация учебной деятельности и персонификация обучающихся. A new educational paradigm — personalised education, is asserting itself in modern society. Its core is neurodidactics, which studies the learning patterns connected to the peculiarities of the higher mental functions of the brain. The goal of neurodidactics is the personalization of the educational process and the personification of students’ personalities.

Children’s graphic representation as a language and its role in preschool education under a whole-child approach

The objective of the present study is to analyze the drawings of the space by children as a representation system involving spatial thinking and higher mental functions such as memory and imagination. Our analysis is based on the historical-cultural theory on human development and on studies about the relation between spatial thinking and the graphic representation of space. Drawing is a language, the first written production by children and is characterized by elements associated with the cognition, culture, motor development and affectivity. Three elements were considered in our analysis: a) the creation of graphic equivalents; b) volume translation; c) perspective. We understand that the topological and projective notions must be based on the development of higher mental functions that mobilize the creation activity, such as memory and imagination, since such these functions constitute instruments to access systematized knowledge.

Exploring the Perceptions of Cognitive and Affective Capabilities of Four, Real, Physical Robots with a Decreasing Degree of Morphological Human Likeness

This paper describes an investigation of student perceptions of the cognitive and affective capabilities of four robots that have a decreasing degree of morphological human likeness. We showed and illustrated the robots (i.e., InMoov, Padbot, Joy Robot and Turtlebot) to 62 students. After showing the students each of these robots, and explaining their main features and capabilities, we administered a fill-in questionnaire to the students. Our main hypothesis was that the perception of a robot’s cognitive and affective capabilities varied in correspondence with their appearance and in particular with their different degree of human likeness. The main results of this study indicate that the scores attributed to the cognitive and emotional capabilities of these robots are not modulated correspondingly to their different morphological similarity to humans. Furthermore, overall, the scores given to all of these robots regarding their ability to explicate mental functions are low, and even lower scores are given to their ability to feel emotions. There is a split between InMoov, the robot which has the highest degree of human likeness, and all of the others. Our results also indicate that: (1) morphological similarity of a robot to humans is not perceived automatically as such by observers, which is not considered a value in itself for the robot; and (2) even at lower levels of robot–human likeness, an uncanny valley effect arises but is quite mitigated by curiosity.

Original software package for psychophysiological and cognitive functions analysis of children

Psychometry plays an important role when determining the state of psychophysiological and cognitive functions in children of different ages. Goal. To deliver an original software package for a psychophysiological computer complex (PCC) “Psychomat” for implementing an online analysis of psychophysiological and cognitive functions in children of different ages. Materials and methods. One hundred eighty-four conditionally healthy school children aged 6 to 17 years were examined using a set of psychophysiological tests and original methods for evaluating higher mental functions (24 tests, 66 parameters). Results. An original software package as the computer psychophysiological complex “Psychomat” was elaborated. The norm base was determined. Also, the testing mechanism and scoring system in points for psychophysiological functions assessment were developed. Thus, it became possible to establish the patterns of cognitive and psychophysiological functions development at different ages. Conclusion. This newly created software package can be used as a test system for mass examination of children of different ages.

An exploratory analysis of head-tilting in dogs

Little is known about head-tilts in dogs. Based on previous investigations on the head turning and the lateralised brain pattern of human speech processing in dogs, we hypothesised that head-tilts may be related to increased attention and could be explained by lateralised mental functions. We observed 40 dogs during object-label knowledge tests and analysed head-tilts occurring while listening to humans requesting verbally to fetch a familiar toy. Our results indicate that only dogs that had learned the name of the objects tilted their heads frequently. Besides, the side of the tilt was stable across several months and tests. Thus, we suggest a relationship between head-tilting and processing relevant, meaningful stimuli.

“I STARTED THE DAY JUST CRYING FOR 2 HOURS STRAIGHT.” ECHO-LOCATING THE VULNERABLE SELF ON INSTAGRAM.

Building on previous online-ethnographic fieldwork on the #strokesurvivor-community on Instagram, this contribution dives deeper into practices of echo-locating (Markham 2020) the vulnerable self on Instagram. This paper aims to reconstruct practices of adapting to a new body, identity and self through communicating on Instagram from a symbolic-interactionist perspective. I build on Goffman’s concept of stigma, Charmaz’ studies on adapting to illness and impairment and use the lens of Markham’s (2020) concept of echo-locating the self through online connection, Based on close readings and interpretations of postings, including pictures, captions and comments, as well as interviews with active community members, two critical antipodes of sense- and self-making in the #strokesurvivor-community emerged: First, mourning the loss of the familiar body, self, and identity and related identity goals. Users seek permission to mourn and also validation for their grief through their postings and comments. Second, and probably oppositional, perseverance, or in its extreme form, toxic positivity - this concept refers to a (more or less forced) attitude of optimism while ignoring valid reasons to actually not be positive, a mindset that seems to be embedded in a “contemporary cult of happiness” (Wright 2014) and cruel optimism (Berlant 2010). In the #strokesurvivor-community, a positive mindset and belief in the possibility of regaining physical and mental functions is a recurring theme and strong imperative. The contribution focuses on the reconstruction of patterns and practices of mourning and perseverance and their relevance to the echo-location of the vulnerable self.

Impacts of Drugs on Alzheimer’s Diseases

In 1901, Alois Alzheimer first reported Alzheimer’s disease. It is a disease that destroys memory and other essential mental functions mostly observed in an older person and mainly in women. Various treatment techniques have been used, which involve Ayurveda, homeopathy, modern drugs, etc. Turmeric, Ashwagandha, Brahmi, Ghrita, etc. are some ayurvedic medicines used to cure this disease, but they were relatively slow in processing. Drugs like Donepezil, Galantamine, and Rivastigmine are speedy, and thus they are in the market nowadays. In this review article, we will give information and awareness about the drugs therapy used for disease treatment and their effects.