Computational theory of mind
Encyclopedia : C : CO : COM : Computational theory of mind
The computational theory of mind is the view that the human mind is best conceived as an information processing system very similar to or identical with a digital computer. In other words, thought is a kind of computation and the mind is to the brain as software is to hardware.
External links
Given that a mind exists, what is it's purpose? I offer this question without regard to any vehicle to which the mind may be associated. It's principal activity is to receive and process incoming data from data collecting inputs. This is much like a computer with the exception that mind has no controlling organization outside of itself. A computer has an operator or a purpose, a program if you will, while a mind has no such overriding directives.
Then imagine a mind that exists and has data input. It has no purpose other than that which it might draw from the in-flow of data. Where does it begin?
It begins by forming some relationship of the incoming data to the data it already possesses. It is a spiritual perception beginning with, "I have some data and there is data coming in that is different from the data I already have." We have already made a great leap because the "I" had to be conceived in order to recognise "separateness". Until "self" and "other" are recognized by mind, there is no true computation.
It is in the generation of "self" that all else becomes pertinent. It is the recognition of self and "otherness" that makes mind possible.
From Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Original article here. Support Wikipedia by contributing or donating.
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License See Wikipedia Copyrights for details.