The psychological core of understanding, I shall assume, consists in your having a “working model” of the phenomenon in your mind. Farnam Street The Nature of Explanation - K. J. W. Craik - Google Books
Craik famously distinguished between:
: Test various alternatives mentally before acting in the real world. kenneth craik the nature of explanation pdf
In an era where we debate whether AI truly “understands” or merely matches patterns, Craik’s voice from 1943 is refreshing. He would likely say: If a system’s internal model allows it to predict, intervene, and adapt across novel situations, then that system is explaining—whether made of neurons or silicon. Explanation is not a mystical property; it is a functional achievement. The psychological core of understanding, I shall assume,