The Theoretical Framework of CI

In many disciplines of human knowledge, almost all of the hard problems yet to be solved share a common root in the understanding of the mechanisms of natural intelligence and the cognitive processes of the brain. Therefore, CI is a discipline that forges links between a number of natural science and life science disciplines with informatics and computing science. The structure of the theoretical framework of CI encompasses the fundamental theories of CI, descriptive mathematics for CI, and the key application areas of CI.

The Fundamental Theories of CI

The fundamental theories of CI have been developed in ten aspects resulted in the basic and transdisciplinary research in CI [Wang, 2007b], which encompass the Information-Matter-Energy (IME) model, the Layered Reference Model of the Brain (LRMB) [Wang et al., 2006], the Object-Attribute-Relation (OAR) model [Wang, 2007c] of information representation in the brain, the cognitive informatics model of the brain, Natural Intelligence (NI), Neural Intelligence (NeI) [Wang, 2007b], the CI laws of software, the mechanism of human perception processes , the cognitive processes of formal inferences, and the formal knowledge system [Wang, 2007a].

Denotational Mathematics for CI

Three new types of denotational mathematics, Concept Algebra (CA) [Wang, 2006d], Real-Time Process Algebra (RTPA) [Wang, 2002b], and System Algebra (SA) [Wang, 2006c], are created for CI to enable rigorous treatment of knowledge representation and manipulation in a formal and coherent framework. The new structures of contemporary mathematics have extended the abstract objects under study in mathematics to a higher level, i.e. concepts, behavioral processes, and systems. A wide range of applications of the descriptive mathematics in the context of CI has been identified [Wang, 2006b].

The Key Application Areas of CI

The key application areas of CI can be divided into two categories [Wang, 2007b]. The first category of applications uses informatics and computing techniques to investigate cognitive science problems, such as memory, learning, and reasoning. The second category uses cognitive theories to investigate problems in informatics, computing, and software/knowledge engineering. CI focuses on the nature of information processing in the brain, such as information acquisition, representation, memory, retrieve, generation, and communication. Through the interdisciplinary approach and with the support of modern information and neuroscience technologies, mechanisms of the brain and the mind may be systematically explored within the framework of CI.