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Don't throw out the Bayes with the bathwater

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 August 2011

Philip M. Fernbach
Affiliation:
Department of Cognitive, Linguistic and Psychological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912. philip_fernbach@brown.edusteven_sloman@brown.eduhttp://sites.google.com/site/philfernbachswebpage/http://sites.google.com/site/slomanlab/
Steven A. Sloman
Affiliation:
Department of Cognitive, Linguistic and Psychological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912. philip_fernbach@brown.edusteven_sloman@brown.eduhttp://sites.google.com/site/philfernbachswebpage/http://sites.google.com/site/slomanlab/

Abstract

We highlight one way in which Jones & Love (J&L) misconstrue the Bayesian program: Bayesian models do not represent a rejection of mechanism. This mischaracterization obscures the valid criticisms in their article. We conclude that computational-level Bayesian modeling should not be rejected or discouraged a priori, but should be held to the same empirical standards as other models.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

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