In practice, AI makes liberal use of concepts, methods and tools from automata theory, algorithm theory, computer architecture, computer systems, database systems, programming languages, and software engineering. In practice, AI researchers are split into several competing schools of thought that are pursuing competing paradigms. AI Paradigms An AI paradigm can be characterized by the constraints it accepts, the assumptions and hypotheses it makes, and the cannonical examples of its success or failure.
Every science makes some assumptions, posits some hypotheses.
All AI researchers subscribe to one assumption. A physical symbol system has the necessary and sufficient means for general intelligent action. Symbols are instantiated in physical systems. The model is computational. The knowledge is represented symbolically.