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Related Experiment Videos

Counterfactuals cannot count: a rejoinder to David Chalmers.

Mark Bishop1

  • 1Cybernetics Intelligence Research Group, Department of Cybernetics, University of Reading, Berkshire, UK. j.m.bishop@reading.ac.uk

Consciousness and Cognition
|December 10, 2002
PubMed
Summary

This study argues that phenomenal states, like feelings and visual experiences, cannot be functionally explained. Even open systems simulate finite state automata (FSA) over finite time, challenging computational theories of mind.

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Area of Science:

  • Philosophy of Mind
  • Cognitive Science
  • Theoretical Computer Science

Background:

  • The debate on whether psychological states can be understood as computational states of a computer.
  • Hilary Putnam's argument that every open system implements every Finite State Automaton (FSA).
  • Criticisms of Putnam's theory by Chalmers et al.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To establish a weaker result than Putnam's original claim regarding computation in open systems.
  • To challenge the functional explanation of phenomenal states.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of computation in open systems.
  • Demonstration that open systems implement the trace of a Finite State Automaton (FSA) over a finite time window.
  • Examination of program execution (P) on input (I) within an FSA (Q).

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Main Results:

  • Every open system implements the trace of a Finite State Automaton (FSA) Q, executing program (P) on input (I) over a finite time window.
  • This result weakens Putnam's broader claim about FSA implementation.

Conclusions:

  • Phenomenal states, including feelings and visual experiences, cannot be understood or explained purely through functional terms.
  • Challenges the computational theory of mind and functionalism in explaining consciousness.