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The imperfect observer: Mind, machines, and materialism in the 21st century

Donath, Judith (2006) The imperfect observer: Mind, machines, and materialism in the 21st century. [Conference Paper] (In Press)

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Abstract

The dualist / materialist debates about the nature of consciousness are based on the assumption that an entirely physical universe must ultimately be observable by humans (with infinitely advanced tools). Thus the dualists claim that anything unobservable must be non-physical, while the materialists argue that in theory nothing is unobservable. However, there may be fundamental limitations in the power of human observation, no matter how well aided, that greatly curtail our ability to know and observe even a fully physical universe. This paper presents arguments to support the model of an inherently limited observer and explores the consequences of this view.

Item Type:Conference Paper
Keywords:dualism, consciousness, machine intelligence, neurophilosophy
Subjects:Philosophy > Philosophy of Mind
Computer Science > Artificial Intelligence
ID Code:5436
Deposited By: Donath, J.
Deposited On:06 Mar 2007
Last Modified:11 Mar 2011 08:56

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