Non-symbolic explanation of smelling
Rabbits discriminate odors by a process of chaotic self-organizing activity at the level of neural tissue. Symbols and symbol structure don't explain this process as well as the mathematics of nonlinear dynamics and chaos does.
Christine A. Skarda and Walter J. Freeman, 1987.

Note: Skarda and Freeman use similar reasoning to dispute the "Rule-Following Assumption" Box 46 (because neurons don't follow rules) and the central aspects of "The Brain Has a Von Neumann Architecture" Box 12 (because neural activity is self-organizing). They also argue against representation in general, with its assumption of the existence of plans, goals, scripts and so forth.
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Artificial Intelligence »Artificial Intelligence
Can computers think? [1] »Can computers think? [1]
Yes: physical symbol systems can think [3] »Yes: physical symbol systems can think [3]
The Symbolic Data Assumption »The Symbolic Data Assumption
Non-symbolic explanation of smelling
Patterns of activity may be fuzzed symbols »Patterns of activity may be fuzzed symbols
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