Journal article
Is the human mind a Turing machine?
Synthese, Vol.108(3), pp.379-389
1996
Abstract
In this paper I discuss the topics of mechanism and algorithmicity. I emphasise that a characterisation of algorithmicity such as the Turing machine is iterative; and I argue that if the human mind can solve problems that no Turing machine can, the mind must depend on some non-iterative principle — in fact, Cantor's second principle of generation, a principle of the actual infinite rather than the potential infinite of Turing machines. But as there has been theorisation that all physical systems can be represented by Turing machines, I investigate claims that seem to contradict this: specifically, claims that there are noncomputable phenomena. One conclusion I reach is that if it is believed that the human mind is more than a Turing machine, a belief in a kind of Cartesian dualist gulf between the mental and the physical is concomitant.
Details
- Title
- Is the human mind a Turing machine?
- Authors/Creators
- D. King (Author/Creator) - Murdoch University
- Publication Details
- Synthese, Vol.108(3), pp.379-389
- Publisher
- Kluwer Academic Publishers
- Identifiers
- 991005541573507891
- Murdoch Affiliation
- School of Humanities
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article
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- Citation topics
- 10 Arts & Humanities
- 10.126 Philosophy
- 10.126.852 Metaphysics and Logic
- Web Of Science research areas
- History & Philosophy Of Science
- Philosophy
- ESI research areas
- Social Sciences, general