---
title: "Neural-Net Implementation of Complex Symbol-Processing in a Mental Model Approach to Syllogistic Reasoning"
authors:
  - "John A. Barnden"
doi: ""
url: "https://ijcai.org/proceedings/1989/91"
pdf: "https://ijcai.org/proceedings/1989/0091.pdf"
venue: "Proceedings of the Eleventh International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence"
year: 1989
pages: "568-572"
track: "Cognitive Models"
keywords:
---

# Neural-Net Implementation of Complex Symbol-Processing in a Mental Model Approach to Syllogistic Reasoning

John A. Barnden

*Proceedings of the Eleventh International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence*, pages 568-572.

## Abstract

A neural net system called "Conposit" is described. Conposit performs rule-based manipulation of very short term, complex symbolic data structures. This paper concentrates on a simulated version of Conposit that embodies core aspects of JohnsonLaird's mental model theory of syllogistic reasoning. This Conposit version is not intended to be a psychological theory, but rather to act as a test and demonstration of the power and flexibility of Conposit's unusual connectionist techniques for encoding the structure of data.