The Reliability of the Cognitive Process

ROMANIAN JOURNAL OF INFORMATION SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Volume 1, Number 1, 1998, 65 - 72

The Reliability of the Cognitive Process
Adrian MIHALACHE
University "Politehnica" of Bucharest
Chair of Electronical Technology and Fiability
Bv. Kogalniceanu 61, 70603 Bucuresti, Romania
E-mail: madrian@automation.ipa.ro

Abstract.
The paper defines the reliability of a cognitive process with a special reference to the reliability theory.
A cognitive process is ideally infallible but, unfortunately, such a process is seldom prolific. A reliable cognitive process attaches to its statements subjective probabilities which are close to the objective ones, estimated from direct observations. The application of this definition to the reliability theory points out the difficulties involved in providing complete specifications. Moreover, it is shown that there are cases when a reliable process seems unreliable and vice-versa.