This article picks up the call for a reflective examination of the prevailing computational metaphor of AI (and philosophical presuppositions behind it) by sketching alternatives that might serve as seeds for discussion-specifically, the seven alternatives introduced in our previous article (see "AI Magazine, spring 1991). The relative strengths and weaknesses of the alternatives are contrasted with those of the computational metaphor.

This article picks up the call for a reflective examination of the prevailing computational metaphor of AI (and philosophical presuppositions behind it) by sketching alternatives that might serve as seeds for discussion-specifically, the seven alternatives introduced in our previous article (see "AI Magazine, spring 1991). The relative strengths and weaknesses of the alternatives are contrasted with those of the computational metaphor.

The Board of Directors the address given here.

Advocates and critics of AI have long engaged in a debate that has generated a great deal of heat but little light. Whatever the merits of specific contributions to this ongoing debate, the fact that it continues points to the need for a reflective examination of the foundations of AI by its active practitioners. Following the lead of Earl MacCormac, we hope to advance such a reflective examination by considering questions of metaphor in science and the computational metaphor in AI. Specifically, we address three issues: the role of metaphor in science and AI, an examination of the computational metaphor, and an introduction to the possibility and potential value of using alternative metaphors as a foundation for AI theory.

Advocates and critics of AI have long engaged in a debate that has generated a great deal of heat but little light. Whatever the merits of specific contributions to this ongoing debate, the fact that it continues points to the need for a reflective examination of the foundations of AI by its active practitioners. Following the lead of Earl MacCormac, we hope to advance such a reflective examination by considering questions of metaphor in science and the computational metaphor in AI. Specifically, we address three issues: the role of metaphor in science and AI, an examination of the computational metaphor, and an introduction to the possibility and potential value of using alternative metaphors as a foundation for AI theory.