MIT CogNet, The Brain Sciences ConnectionFrom the MIT Press, Link to Online Catalog
SPARC Communities
Subscriber : Stanford University Libraries » LOG IN

space

Powered By Google 
Advanced Search

Selected Title Details  
Oct 2001
ISBN 026213392X
280 pp.
BUY THE BOOK
Mind and Mechanism
Drew V. McDermott

In Mind and Mechanism, Drew McDermott takes a computational approach to the mind-body problem (how it is that a purely physical entity, the brain, can have experiences). He begins by demonstrating the falseness of dualist approaches, which separate the physical and mental realms. He then surveys what has been accomplished in artificial intelligence, clearly differentiating what we know how to build from what we can imagine building. McDermott then details a computational theory of consciousness--claiming that the mind can be modeled entirely in terms of computation--and deals with various possible objections. He also discusses cultural consequences of the theory, including its impact on religion and ethics.

Table of Contents
 Preface
 Acknowledgments
1 The Problem of Phenomenal Consciousness
2 Artificial Intelligence
3 A computational Theory of Consciousness
4 Objections and Replies
5 Symbols and Semantics
6 Consequences
 Notes
 References
 Index
 
Options
Related Topics
Computational Intelligence
Philosophy


© 2010 The MIT Press
MIT Logo