The practice of mathematics and science: from calculus to the clothesline problem
Elke M. Kurz, Ryan D. Tweney · 2000
Abstract In the chapter on problem solving in Adaptive Character of Thought (1990, pp.192-243), John Anderson expressed dissatisfaction with existing research on problem solving, noting that it had been focused upon problems that are not representative of most real-world problem solving. The ‘puzzles and games’ of the laboratory lack the need to induce causal rules, lack the probabilistic rules that characterize real-world problems, and lack the explicit costs and benefits of real¬ world problems. Still, his specific discussion relied upon the problem space searches characteristic of Newell and Simon, extending these to account for data gathered in laboratory game tasks.