Boden, Margaret. Escaping from the Chinese Room
1988, reprinted in Mind Design III, John Haugeland, Carl Craver, and Colin Klein (eds), The MIT Press
Added by: Alnica Visser
Abstract:
John Searle, in his paper on 'Minds, Brains, and Programs' (1980), argues that computational theories in psychology are essentially worthless. He makes two main claims: that computational theories, being purely formal in nature, cannot possibly help us to understand mental processes; and that computer hardware-unlike neuroprotein-obviously lacks the right causal powers to generate mental processes. I shall argue that both these claims are mistaken.
Comment: Excellent summary of the Chinese Room argument along with some interesting objections. Can be used as a follow-up reading to Searle, but also in place of it.