"We often self-impose assumptions that make our problems more difficult, and we can escape from this only by reformulating those problems in ways that give us more room." What makes us see squares in so many different things? "Psychologists have long wondered how we recognize such similarities but often forgot to ask how we recognize the very simples forms of squares in the first place. Which comes first in recognition, specific features or global shapes? It must depend upon one's state of mind."
(NB: Two points. Local features vs global form theories of perception are on opposite sides of a very long-standing debate in the literature. One example of a contribution to this debate is Dawson & Harshman, 1986. Second point is that Minsky now appears to be making a very strong appeal to top-down influences on perception. How cognitive does he want to be with this position?)
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