An exploration of the mind-body problem from the perspective of artificialintelligence.
In Mind and Mechanism, Drew McDermott takes a computationalapproach to the mind-body problem (how it is that a purely physical entity, the brain, can haveexperiences). He begins by demonstrating the falseness of dualist approaches, which separate thephysical 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 thendetails a computational theory of consciousness claiming that the mind can be modeled entirely interms of computation -- and deals with various possible objections. He also discusses culturalconsequences of the theory, including its impact on religion and ethics.
