Page - 94 - in Limina - Grazer theologische Perspektiven, Volume 3:2

94 | www.limina-graz.eu Sara Lumbreras and Lluis Oviedo | Belief networks as complex systems 1 Introduction: Credition as a fundamental brain function Recently, credition – the process of believing – has been defined as the functions that enable somebody to trust her inner probabilistic represen- tations. Credition includes perception and valuation, and guides action by means of reciprocating feedback involving learning. We understand credi- tion as a basic cognitive function, essential to understand the human mind and human behaviour. As such, it is receiving increased interest in the lit- erature (Angel et al. 2017). We cannot proceed without beliefs. From this general framework, the task that the study of the believing pro- cess faces is to find models that allow for a better representation of this rather enigmatic process. There have been several attempts to model the believing process over the last years. The credition model emerges as a general platform that allows for many applications. Recent developments in Artificial Intelligence (AI), the study of probabilities and complex sys- tems, might offer clues to further the understanding of such a process and to build more accurate models that are able to capture its complexity. In any case, our exploration will show both, the strengths and convergence points between AI systems and belief systems, and the diverging points that arise in that contrast. This exploratory paper proposes an outline for a framework in which we can understand belief and the process of credition, together with their properties, from a complex-systems perspective. 2 The old brain-computer metaphor is dead. Long live the new one: incorporating the recent developments of Artificial Intelligence The traditional interpretation of the brain-as-a-computer has not stood the test of time and is seen by most specialists as outdated. The animal brain is much more than a deterministic device following some defined code. Even if we accept that the brain’s function is to maximize the sur- vival and reproduction possibilities of its owner, this is nonetheless often accomplished as an act of pure creativity. The brain builds a model of the world that constantly integrates new evidence and provides an explanation Credition is essential to understand the human mind and human behaviour.