MIND AND MECHANISMBy Drew McDermott

What Does it Mean “To Compute?”A Review by Kenton Anderson

Major PlayersChalmersDennettSearleCrick and KochFodorMcDermott

David Chalmers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NK1Yo6VbRoo

2:07-3:34

Daniel Dennett

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psOcedY4Ywc&feature=related

:22-2:58

http://www.cartoontube.eu/video/nRwOuE7IJoA/John-Searle-Beyond-Dualism-Pt-1.html

John Searle Video:Qualia and Zombies

Crick & Koch

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqMAkbrp5uA

2:30-5:00

Jerry Fodor

Modularity of the Mind

McDermott’s Chapters1. Shows his intent to overcome first order flaws

• Places his theory as a second order theory 2. Surveys state of AI research 3. Detailed explanation of his Theory of Consciousness4.Answers Objections

• Ill-defined terms computer and Symbol5. Defines Computer and Symbol

6. Effects of theory on religion and ethics

McDermott’s ArgumentSecond-Order Theory of Consciousness:• Digital computer simulates Modules of Brain Activity• Includes Qualia• Disagrees with Dennett’s Intentional Stance• Appeals Little to Neuroscience• Computationalism and Functionalism

The Problem:

“How can a purely physical organ—the brain—experience?

Answer:

Humans have minds because they (or their brains) are computers.

Development:•Computers have things in common with the brain

• Both make and use models of their worlds• Both can (theoretically) experience qualia in their

own way• Both of these elements occur via codes and

molecules•Phenomenal Consciousness originates:

• For Neurologists, in protoplasm (living, feeling parts)• For McDermott, opposite intuition:

• Feeling is unrelated to “being alive”• “The great majority of living things never feel anything.”

•Therefore, both living systems and other organisms can have feelings•Should therefore accept H that organisms have desires, beliefs, and feelings somehow similar to ours•Consciousness is thus possible in organisms such as computers.

PAPER #2: “AI & INTELLIGENCE”

•In order to refute critics—such as Searle—AI must create computational models explaining Vision, Language, Locomotion•First section: Overview of Consciousness Theories•Phenomenological Consciousness is a property of a computational system if models itself as experiencing.•Middle Section:

•Defines a computational system in detail•Shows how one can exhibit intentionality•Shows that consciousness is modeling self as having experiences

•So, computers (s.f. intelligent robots) can theoretically be conscious.•And human beings can, conversely, be seen as robotic.

References

McDermott, D. (2001). Mind and Mechanism. Cambridge: The MIT

Press.McDermott, D. (2007). Artificial Intelligence and Consciousness.

Chapter 6 of Philip David Zelazo, Morris Moscovitch, and

Evan Thompson (eds.): The Cambridge Handbook of Consciousness. Cambridge University Press, 117–150.

 http://www.cs.yale.edu/homes/dvm/papers/conscioushb.pdf

MIND AND MECHANISMBy Drew McDermott

A Review by Kenton Anderson

Question to Ponder: “Are we anything more than computers

and robots?”