Intelligence as Computation

TL;DR

This paper conceptualizes intelligence as a multi-paradigm computational process, unifying various existing views and proposing a multidisciplinary research framework for a comprehensive science of intelligence.

Contribution

It introduces a unified computational framework for intelligence that integrates multiple paradigms and explains differences among existing views.

Findings

Unifies physical, neural, embodied, morphological, and mechanical intelligences.

Proposes a multi-paradigmatic computational model of intelligence.

Defines principles that distinguish intelligent computation from non-intelligent processes.

Abstract

This paper proposes a specific conceptualization of intelligence as computation. This conceptualization is intended to provide a unified view for all disciplines of intelligence research. Already, it unifies several conceptualizations currently under investigation, including physical, neural, embodied, morphological, and mechanical intelligences. To achieve this, the proposed conceptualization explains the differences among existing views by different computational paradigms, such as digital, analog, mechanical, or morphological computation. Viewing intelligence as a composition of computations from different paradigms, the challenges posed by previous conceptualizations are resolved. Intelligence is hypothesized as a multi-paradigmatic computation relying on specific computational principles. These principles distinguish intelligence from other, non-intelligent computations. The proposed conceptualization implies a multi-disciplinary research agenda that is intended to lead to unified science of intelligence.