Intentional systems: Review of neurodynamics, modeling, and robotics implementation

We present an intentional neurodynamic theory for higher cognition and intelligence. This theory provides a unifying framework for integrating symbolic and subsymbolic methods as complementary aspects of human intelligence. Top-down symbolic approaches benefit from the vast experience with logical reasoning and with high-level knowledge processing in humans. Connectionist methods use bottom-up approach to generate intelligent behavior by mimicking subsymbolic aspects of the operation of brains and nervous systems. Neurophysiological correlates of intentionality and cognition include sequences of oscillatory patterns of mesoscopic neural activity. Oscillatory patterns are viewed as intermittent representations of generalized symbol systems, with which brains compute. These dynamical symbols are not rigid but flexible. They disappear soon after they emerged through spatio-temporal phase transitions. Intentional neurodynamics provides a solution to the notoriously difficult symbol grounding problem. Some examples of implementations of the corresponding dynamic principles are described in this review.