Human Problem-Solving: Standing on the Shoulders of the Giants

Abstract

Human problem-solving is a fundamental yet complex phenomena; it has fascinated and attracted a lot of researchers to understand, and theorize about it. Modeling and simulating human problem-solving played a pivotal role in Herbert Simon’s research program. Herbert Simon (along with Allen Newell and Cliff Shaw) was among the pioneers of artificial intelligence, by interlinking cognitive psychology, economics, philosophy, and computer science through the research work on human problem-solving. His curiosity and work focused not on replicating the brain but to understand and replicate human problem solving techniques (which he often referred to as programs/algorithms). The main aim of this article is to trace the origins and paths that enabled Simon (Newell and Shaw) to further develop his (their) original ideas.