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Computers and Cognition: Why Minds are not Machines

  • Book
  • © 2001

Overview

Authors:
  1. James H. Fetzer

    1. University of Minnesota, Duluth, USA

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Part of the book series: Studies in Cognitive Systems (COGS, volume 25)

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Table of contents (11 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xxi
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  2. Prologue

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 1-1
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    2. Minds and Machines

      • James H. Fetzer
      Pages 3-21

  3. Semiotic Systems

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 23-23
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    2. Primitive Concepts

      • James H. Fetzer
      Pages 25-42

    3. Signs and Minds

      • James H. Fetzer
      Pages 43-71

    4. Language and Mentality

      • James H. Fetzer
      Pages 73-98

  4. Computers and Cognition

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 99-99
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    2. Mental Algorithms

      • James H. Fetzer
      Pages 101-129

    3. What Makes Connectionism Different?

      • James H. Fetzer
      Pages 131-152

    4. People are not Computers

      • James H. Fetzer
      Pages 153-180

  5. Computer Epistemology

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 181-181
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    2. Program Verification: The Very Idea

      • James H. Fetzer
      Pages 183-220

    3. Philosophical Aspects of Program Verification

      • James H. Fetzer
      Pages 221-245

    4. Philosophy and Computer Science

      • James H. Fetzer
      Pages 247-267

  7. Back Matter

    Pages 309-326
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Keywords

About this book

An important collection of studies providing a fresh and original perspective on the nature of mind, including thoughtful and detailed arguments that explain why the prevailing paradigm - the computational conception of language and mentality - can no longer be sustained. An alternative approach is advanced, inspired by the work of Charles S. Peirce, according to which minds are sign-using (or `semiotic') systems, which in turn generates distinctions between different kinds of minds and overcomes problems that burden more familiar alternatives. Unlike conceptions of minds as machines, this novel approach has obvious evolutionary implications, where differences in semiotic abilities tend to distinguish the species. From this point of view, the scope and limits of computer and AI systems can be more adequately appraised and alternative accounts of consciousness and cognition can be more thoroughly criticised.
Readership: Intermediate and advanced students of computer science, AI, cognitive science, and all students of the philosophy of the mind.

Authors and Affiliations

  • University of Minnesota, Duluth, USA

    James H. Fetzer

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: Computers and Cognition: Why Minds are not Machines

  • Authors: James H. Fetzer

  • Series Title: Studies in Cognitive Systems

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-0973-7

  • Publisher: Springer Dordrecht

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

  • Copyright Information: Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2001

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-0-7923-6615-7Due: 31 December 2000

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-1-4020-0243-4Published: 30 November 2001

  • eBook ISBN: 978-94-010-0973-7Published: 07 March 2013

  • Series ISSN: 0924-0780

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: 352

  • Topics: Artificial Intelligence, Philosophy of Mind, Philosophy of Science

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