symbolic processing

Symbolic processing is a method used by computers and AI systems to handle information by representing ideas, concepts, or objects as symbols—such as words, numbers, or icons. These symbols can be arranged, manipulated, and analyzed based on rules to mimic human reasoning and problem-solving. Essentially, it's like working with a language of symbols to think, decide, and communicate, enabling systems to perform tasks that require understanding, learning, and decision-making based on explicit, structured representations of knowledge.