Program typically represented by large number of numeric parameters.
These numeric parameters may collectively define say behaviour
(a mapping from input senses to output actions)
or a pattern classifier (e.g. handwriting recognition).
Numeric parameters then modified by large number of interactions with the world
(e.g. the real world, the problem, a software world)
until the program works.
Does not worry about contradictions.
Contains vast number of rules which may contradict each other.
Makes ever-changing decisions about which rules to follow.
Solution may be hard to analyse,
and hard to know if optimal or always correct,
yet may still be better than symbolic alternative.
Philosophy - Whatever works, works, in evolution.
No particular reason for evolution to care about constructing logical systems.
The mind - even the mind of a logician - is an irrational competition of
multiple conflicting ideas, rules and
memes.
Logic is done rarely, if at all, by most people.
Eliza program
(see source code)
is a parody of the classic type of NLP,
but there is some truth in the parody
in the sense that the symbols are not grounded in the real world
but in other symbols.