The Mystery of ConsciousnessIt has long been one of the most fundamental problems of philosophy, and it is now, John Searle writes, "the most important problem in the biological sciences": What is consciousness? Is my inner awareness of myself something separate from my body? In what began as a series of essays in The New York Review of Books, John Searle evaluates the positions on consciousness of such well-known scientists and philosophers as Francis Crick, Gerald Edelman, Roger Penrose, Daniel Dennett, David Chalmers, and Israel Rosenfield. He challenges claims that the mind works like a computer, and that brain functions can be reproduced by computer programs. With a sharp eye for confusion and contradiction, he points out which avenues of current research are most likely to come up with a biological examination of how conscious states are caused by the brain. Only when we understand how the brain works will we solve the mystery of consciousness, and only then will we begin to understand issues ranging from artificial intelligence to our very nature as human beings. |
Contents
Gödels Proof and Computers | 89 |
An Exchange with Daniel Dennett | 115 |
An Exchange with David Chalmers | 163 |
CONCLUSION | 187 |
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS | 217 |
Other editions - View all
The Mystery of Consciousness John R. Searle,Daniel Clement Dennett,David John Chalmers No preview available - 1997 |
Common terms and phrases
able accept according actual algorithms answer argue argument behavior believe biological body brain processes called causal cause consciousness Chalmers chapter Chinese claim complex consists correlation Crick Dennett deny described discussion dualism Edelman entirely exactly example existence experiences explain fact feeling firings follows functional organization give human idea important inner kind least logical machine maps materialism mathematical matter meaning mechanisms memory mental mind nature ness neuron object pain Penrose perhaps philosophical physical possible powers premises present problem procedures produce qualia quantum mechanics question reasoning reduce relations require response result robot Room scientific sciousness Searle seems sense signal simply simulated sort sound specific Step stop Strong structure subjective supposed symbols theory thermostats things tion truth turn typically understand visual