Reference

The ACT-R framework is designed to unify aspects of symbolic and connectionist models, acting as a cognitive architecture that aims to describe how the brain is organized and how it gives rise to cognitive functions. It seeks to move beyond the traditional symbolic vs. connectionist debate by incorporating both symbolic and subsymbolic levels.

1. Symbolic and Subsymbolic Levels: ACT-R integrates symbolic reasoning, where knowledge is represented in discrete, rule-based trees, with subsymbolic processes that allow for more fluid and probabilistic modeling of cognition, akin to connectionist approaches.

2. Cognitive Architecture: ACT-R serves as an architecture that allows researchers to build models of various cognitive tasks. By doing so, it bridges the cognitive functions without strictly adhering to only one side of the debate.

3. Beyond the Debate: Members of the ACT-R community consider it a general framework that surpasses the traditional symbolic/connectionist separation, opting for a more integrated approach to understanding how brain structure and cognitive function relate.

For more detailed information, you can check this source: Wikipedia on ACT-R.