Relating Knowledge Specifications by Reduction Mappings

Knowledge can be specified at different levels of conceptualisation or abstraction. In this paper, lessons learned on the philosophical foundations of cognitive science are discussed, with a focus on how the relationships of cognitive theories with specific underlying (physical/biological) makeups can be dealt with. It is discussed how these results can be applied to relate different types of knowledge specifications. More specifically, it is shown how different knowledge specifications can be related by means of reduction relations, similar to how specifications of cognitive theories can be related to specifications within physical or biological contexts. By the example of a specific reduction approach, it is shown how the process of reduction can be automated, including mapping of specifications of different types and checking the fulfilment of reduction conditions.