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The Physical Symbol System Hypothesis. A physical symbol system has the necessary and sufficient means for general intelligent action.

— Allen Newell Computer Science as Empirical Inquiry: Symbols and Search (1975)

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More quotes by Allen Newell

A unified theory of cognition is a single set of mechanisms that cover all of cognition—problem solving, decision making, routine action, memory, learning, skill, perception, and motor behavior.

Unified Theories of Cognition (1990)

What makes a problem a problem is not that a large amount of search is required for its solution, but that a large amount would be required if a requisite level of intelligence were not applied.

and Herbert Simon (1975)

Heuristic Search Hypothesis. The solutions to problems are represented as symbol structures. A physical symbol system exercises its intelligence in problem solving by search—that is, by generating and progressively modifying symbol structures until it produces a solution structure.

Computer Science as Empirical Inquiry: Symbols and Search (1975)

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Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Allen Newell (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.