On the cognitive theory of conditioning

Abstract

Furedy (1988) has advanced several arguments which, he considers, produce difficulties for a cognitive theory of Pavlovian conditioning. In this paper I first discuss some of the reasons why a cognitive theory must be couched in the language of intentionality. I then argue that it is extremely difficult to see how a cognitive or intentional theory of Pavlovian conditioning can be constructed. Instead, the evidence points to the view that Pavlovian conditioning consists of the learning of excitatory or inhibitory links between the mental images of the conditioned and unconditioned stimuli. Finally, Furedy introduces considerable confusion into his account by failing to preserve an absolutely crucial distinction: between the mechanism of learning and the nature of the knowledge that is acquired during learning.