The Computer Metaphor

Is the brain actually a computer? Or is this a metaphor or analogy which is often taken too literally? This issue has come up a few times in the past couple of years, and I wanted to give my take because some common responses do not seem right to me.

I'm going to argue the brain really is literally a computer and that this is not a metaphor or analogy at all. Many of the experts who disagree with this are neuroscientists, biologists and philosophers. We have much to learn from them about how the brain works, but that's not the only issue. To answer the question of whether a brain is a computer we also need to consider what a computer is, and I feel this side of the equation is too often neglected.

Strong AI: Naturalism and AI

In this article, I want to examine the issues presented by the problem of consciousness when examined from a naturalistic or physicalist point of view. What I present in this article is probably not a knock-down argument proving the computational theory of consciousness (Strong AI) within this framework. Rather it shows that the alternatives are rather problematic.

In Defence of Strong AI: The Modal Argument Refuted

In this video, philosopher and Christain theologian Alvin Plantinga outlines his modal argument, which in my view successfully establishes that he is not identical with his brain or body.

He interprets this to mean that he is something more than physical, and presumably that he has a soul. Physicalism refuted? Nope!

Essential identity: Cogito ergo sum

If there's one part of us that we consider to be the seat of our identities, it is our brains.