Typologies of Computation and Computational Models

Abstract

We need much better understanding of information processing and
comp
u-
tation
as
its pri
mary form
.
Future
progress
of new computational devices capable of
dealing with problems of big data, internet of things, semantic web, co
g
nitive robotics
and neuroinformatics
depends on the
adequate
models of computation.
In this article
w
e
first
present
the current state
of the art
through
systematisation of
existing
models
and mechanisms
, and
outline
basic
structural framework of computation.
We argue
th
at d
efining c
omputation
as
information processing
,
and
given that
there is no info
r-
mation without (physical) representation, the dynamics of information
on
the
fund
a-
mental
level is physical
/
intrinsic
/
natural
computation
.
As a
special case
,
intrinsic
comp
utation
is
used for designed computation in comput
ing
machinery
.
Intrinsic n
at
u-
ral computation occurs
on
variety of
levels of physical processes,
containing
the le
v
el
s
of computation
of
living organisms
(
including
highly intel
ligent animals) as well as
des
igned
comput
ational
devices
.
The
present article
offers a
typology
of current mo
d-
els of computation and indicates future paths for the
advancement
of the field
;
both
by
the
develop
ment of
new computational models and
by
learning from nature how to
better c
ompute
using different mechanisms of intrinsic comput
a
tion
.
1
Introduction
Many researchers have asked the questi