Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-hc48f Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T03:12:28.415Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

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

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Anderson, J. R. (1990) The adaptive character of thought. Erlbaum.Google Scholar
Bar-Tal, D. (2002) From intractable conflict through conflict resolution to reconciliation: Psychological analysis. Political Psychology 21(2):351–65.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sloman, S. A. & Fernbach, P. M. (2008) The value of rational analysis: An assessment of causal reasoning and learning. In: The probabilistic mind: Prospects for rational models of cognition, ed. Chater, N. & Oaksford, M, pp. 485500. Oxford University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Steyvers, M., Tenenbaum, J. B., Wagenmakers, E.-J. & Blum, B. (2003) Inferring causal networks from observations and interventions. Cognitive Science 27:453–89.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tenenbaum, J. B. & Griffiths, T. L. (2001) Generalization, similarity, and Bayesian inference. Behavioral and Brain Sciences 24(4):629–40.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed