---
abstract: |-
  Searle's Chinese Room Argument showed a fatal flaw in computationalism
                                 (the idea that mental states are just computational states) and helped usher in
                                 the era of situated robotics and symbol grounding (although Searle himself
                                 thought neuroscience was the only correct way to understand the mind).
altloc:
  - http://www.cogsci.soton.ac.uk/~harnad/Papers/Harnad/harnad00.searle.html
chapter: ~
commentary: ~
commref: ~
confdates: ~
conference: ~
confloc: ~
contact_email: ~
creators_id: []
creators_name:
  - family: Harnad
    given: Stevan
    honourific: ''
    lineage: ''
date: 2001
date_type: published
datestamp: 2005-01-06
department: ~
dir: disk0/00/00/40/23
edit_lock_since: ~
edit_lock_until: ~
edit_lock_user: ~
editors_id: []
editors_name:
  - family: Bishop
    given: M.
    honourific: ''
    lineage: ''
  - family: Preston
    given: J.
    honourific: ''
    lineage: ''
eprint_status: archive
eprintid: 4023
fileinfo: /style/images/fileicons/text_html.png;/4023/1/searlbook.htm
full_text_status: public
importid: ~
institution: ~
isbn: ~
ispublished: pub
issn: ~
item_issues_comment: []
item_issues_count: 0
item_issues_description: []
item_issues_id: []
item_issues_reported_by: []
item_issues_resolved_by: []
item_issues_status: []
item_issues_timestamp: []
item_issues_type: []
keywords: 'Searle, Chinese Room Argument, Turing Test, Symbol Grounding, computationalism, cognitivism, robotics, language functionalism, neuroscience'
lastmod: 2011-03-11 08:55:49
latitude: ~
longitude: ~
metadata_visibility: show
note: ~
number: ~
pagerange: ~
pubdom: FALSE
publication: Essays on Searle's Chinese Room Argument
publisher: Oxford University Press
refereed: FALSE
referencetext: |
  Cangelosi, A. & Harnad, S. (2000) 'The Adaptive Advantage of Symbolic
  Theft Over Sensorimotor Toil: Grounding Language in Perceptual
  Categories', Evolution of Communication (Special Issue on Grounding).
  http://www.cogsci.soton.ac.uk/~harnad/Papers/Harnad/harnad00.language.html
  
  
  Churchland, P.M. & Churchland, P.S. (1990) 'Could a Machine Think?',
  Scientific American, vol.262, pp.32-37.
  
  
  Dietrich, E. (1990) 'Computationalism', Social Epistemology, vol.4,
  pp.135-54.
  
  
  Fodor, J.A. (1975) The Language of Thought, (New York: Thomas Y.Crowell).
  
  
  Fodor, J.A. & Pylyshyn, Z.W. (1988) 'Connectionism and Cognitive
  Architecture: A Critical Appraisal', Cognition, vol.28, pp.3-71.
  
  
  Cangelosi A., Greco A. & Harnad S. (2000) 'From Robotic Toil
  to Symbolic Theft: Grounding Transfer from Entry-level to
  Higher-level Categories', Connection Science, vol.12, pp.143-162.
  http://www.cogsci.soton.ac.uk/~harnad/Papers/Harnad/cangelosi-connsci2.ps
  
  
  Harnad, S. (1982a) 'Neoconstructivism: A Unifying Theme for the
  Cognitive Sciences', in T.Simon & R.Scholes (eds.), Language,
  Mind and Brain, (Hillsdale NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum), pp.1-11.
  http://www.cogsci.soton.ac.uk/~harnad/Papers/Harnad/harnad82.neoconst.html
  
  
  Harnad, S. (1982b) 'Consciousness: An Afterthought',
  Cognition and Brain Theory, vol.5, pp.29-47.
  http://www.cogsci.soton.ac.uk/~harnad/Papers/Harnad/harnad82.consciousness.html
  
  
  Harnad, S. (ed.) (1987) Categorical Perception: The Groundwork
  of Cognition, (New York: Cambridge University Press).
  http://www.cogsci.soton.ac.uk/~harnad/Papers/Harnad/harnad87.categorization.html
  
  
  Harnad, S. (1989) 'Minds, Machines and Searle', Journal of
  Theoretical and Experimental Artificial Intelligence, vol.1, pp.5-25.
  ftp://ftp.princeton.edu/pub/harnad/Harnad/HTML/harnad89.searle.html
  
  
  Harnad, S. (1990a) 'The Symbol Grounding
  Problem', Physica D, vol.42, pp.335-346.
  ftp://ftp.princeton.edu/pub/harnad/Harnad/HTML/harnad90.sgproblem.html
  
  
  Harnad, S. (1990b) 'Against Computational
  Hermeneutics', (Invited commentary on Eric Dietrich's
  'Computationalism'), Social Epistemology, vol.4, pp.167-172.
  http://www.cogsci.soton.ac.uk/~harnad/Papers/Harnad/harnad90.dietrich.crit.html
  
  
  Harnad, S. (1990c) 'Lost in the Hermeneutic Hall of
  Mirrors', (Invited Commentary on: Michael Dyer, 'Minds,
  Machines, Searle and Harnad'), Journal of Experimental and
  Theoretical Artificial Intelligence, vol.2, pp.321-327.
  http://www.cogsci.soton.ac.uk/~harnad/Papers/Harnad/harnad90.dyer.crit.html
  
  
  Harnad, S. (1990d) 'Scholarly Skywriting and the Prepublication
  Continuum of Scientific Inquiry', Psychological Science, vol.1, pp.342-3
  (reprinted in Current Contents, vol.45, November 11th, 1991, pp.9-13).
  http://www.cogsci.soton.ac.uk/~harnad/Papers/Harnad/harnad90.skywriting.html
  
  
  Harnad, S. (1991a) 'Other Bodies, Other Minds: A Machine Incarnation
  of an Old Philosophical Problem', Minds and Machines, vol.1, pp.43-54.
  http://www.cogsci.soton.ac.uk/~harnad/Papers/Harnad/harnad91.otherminds.html
  
  
  Harnad, S. (1991b) 'Post-Gutenberg Galaxy: The Fourth
  Revolution in the Means of Production of Knowledge',
  Public-Access Computer Systems Review, vol.2, pp.39-53.
  http://www.cogsci.soton.ac.uk/~harnad/Papers/Harnad/harnad91.postgutenberg.html
  
  
  Harnad, S. (1992) 'The Turing Test Is Not A Trick:
  Turing Indistinguishability Is A Scientific
  Criterion', SIGART Bulletin, vol.3, pp.9-10.
  http://www.cogsci.soton.ac.uk/~harnad/Papers/Harnad/harnad92.turing.html
  
  
  Harnad, S. (1993) 'Artificial Life: Synthetic Versus
  Virtual', in Artificial Life III: Proceedings, Santa Fe
  Institute Studies in the Sciences of Complexity. Volume XVI.
  http://www.cogsci.soton.ac.uk/~harnad/Papers/Harnad/harnad93.artlife.html
  
  
  Harnad, S. (1994a) 'Levels of Functional Equivalence in Reverse
  Bioengineering: The Darwinian Turing Test for Artificial Life',
  Artificial Life, vol.1, pp.293-301 (reprinted in: C.G.Langton (ed.),
  Artificial Life: An Overview, (Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 1995).
  http://www.cogsci.soton.ac.uk/~harnad/Papers/Harnad/harnad94.artlife2.html
  
  
  Harnad, S. (1994b) 'Computation Is Just Interpretable Symbol
  Manipulation: Cognition Isn't', Minds and Machines, vol.4, pp.379-390.
  ftp://ftp.princeton.edu/pub/harnad/Harnad/HTML/harnad94.computation.cognition.html
  
  
  Harnad, S. (1995b) 'Why and How We Are Not Zombies',
  Journal of Consciousness Studies, vol.1, pp.164-167.
  http://www.cogsci.soton.ac.uk/~harnad/Papers/Harnad/harnad95.zombies.html
  
  
  Harnad, S. (1996) 'The Origin of Words: A Psychophysical Hypothesis',
  in B.Velichkovsky & D.Rumbaugh (eds.), Communicating Meaning: Evolution
  and Development of Language, (Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum), pp.27-44.
  http://www.cogsci.soton.ac.uk/~harnad/Papers/Harnad/harnad96.word.origin.html
  
  
  Harnad, S. (2000a) 'Machines, and Turing: The Indistinguishability of
  Indistinguishables', Journal of Logic, Language, and Information, vol.9,
  (special issue on "Alan Turing and Artificial Intelligence"), pp.425-45.
  http://www.cogsci.soton.ac.uk/~harnad/Papers/Harnad/harnad00.turing.html
  
  
  Harnad, S. (2000b) 'Correlation Vs. Causality: How/Why the Mind/Body
  Problem Is Hard' [Invited Commentary on Nick Humphrey's, 'How to Solve the
  Mind-Body Problem'], Journal of Consciousness Studies, vol.7, pp.54-61.
  http://www.cogsci.soton.ac.uk/~harnad/Papers/Harnad/harnad00.mind.humphrey.html
  
  
  Harnad, S. (2001) 'Explaining the Mind: Problems, Problems',
  The Sciences, (New York Academy of Sciences), April.
  http://www.cogsci.soton.ac.uk/~harnad/Tp/bookrev.htm
  
  
  Harnad, S. Hanson, S.J. & Lubin, J. (1995) 'Learned Categorical
  Perception in Neural Nets: Implications for Symbol Grounding', in:
  V.Honavar & L.Uhr (eds.), Symbol Processors and Connectionist Network
  Models in Artificial Intelligence and Cognitive Modelling: Steps Toward
  Principled Integration, New York & London: Academic Press, pp. 191-206.
  http://www.cogsci.soton.ac.uk/~harnad/Papers/Harnad/harnad95.cpnets.html
  
  
  Harnad, S., Steklis, H.D. & Lancaster, J.B. (eds.), (1976) Origins and
  Evolution of Language and Speech, Annals of the New York Academy of
  Sciences, vol.280.
  
  
  Hayes, P., Harnad, S., Perlis, D. & Block, N. (1992) 'Virtual Symposium
  on Virtual Mind', Minds and Machines, vol.2, pp.217-238.
  
  
  http://www.cogsci.soton.ac.uk/~harnad/Papers/Harnad/harnad92.virtualmind.html
  
  
  Heyes, C.M. (1998) 'Theory of Mind in Nonhuman Primates',
  Behavioral and Brain Sciences, vol.21, pp.101-134.
  http://www.cogsci.soton.ac.uk/bbs/Archive/bbs.heyes.html
  
  
  Hexter, J.H. (1979) Reappraisals in History, (Chicago: University of
  Chicago Press).
  
  
  Lucas, J.R. (1961) 'Minds, Machines and Gödel', Philosophy, vol.36,
  pp.112-117.  http://cogprints.soton.ac.uk/abs/phil/199807022
  
  
  Lucas, M.M. & Hayes, P.J. (eds.), (1982) Proceedings of the Cognitive
  Curriculum Conference. University of Rochester.
  
  
  Newell, A. (1980) 'Physical Symbol Systems', Cognitive Science, vol.4,
  pp.135-83.
  
  
  Luria, A.R. (1972) The Man with a Shattered World, (New York: Basic
  Books).
  
  
  Premack, D. & Woodruff, G. 1978. 'Does the Chimpanzee Have a Theory of
  Mind?', Behavioral & Brain Sciences, vol.1, pp.515-526.
  
  
  Pylyshyn, Z.W. (1980) 'Computation and Cognition: Issues in the
  Foundations of Cognitive Science', Behavioral and Brain Sciences, vol.3,
  pp.111-169.
  
  
  Pylyshyn, Z.W. (1984) Computation and Cognition: Toward a Foundation
  for Cognitive Science, (Cambridge, MA: MIT Press).
  
  
  Pylyshyn, Z.W. (ed.), (1987) The Robot's Dilemma: The Frame Problem in
  Artificial Intelligence, (Norwood, NJ: Ablex).
  
  
  Searle, J.R. (1980a) 'Minds, Brains, and Programs',
  Behavioral and Brain Sciences, vol.3, pp.417-57.
  http://www.cogsci.soton.ac.uk/bbs/Archive/bbs.searle2.html
  
  
  Searle, J.R. (1980b) 'Intrinsic Intentionality', Behavioral and Brain
  Sciences, vol.3, pp.450-6.
  
  
  Searle, J.R. (1982) 'The Chinese Room Revisited', Behavioral and Brain
  Sciences, vol.5, pp.345-8.
  
  
  Searle, J.R. (1984) Minds, Brains, and Science, (Cambridge, MA: Harvard
  University Press).
  
  
  Searle, J.R. (1987) 'Minds and Brains Without Programs', in C.Blakemore &
  S.Greenfield (eds), Mindwaves, Oxford: Basil Blackwell, pp.208-33.
  
  
  Searle, J.R. (1990a) 'Consciousness, Explanatory Inversion and Cognitive
  Science', Behavioral and Brain Sciences, vol.13, pp.585-96.
  
  
  Searle, J.R. (1990b) 'Is the Brain's Mind a Computer Program?', Scientific
  American, vol.262, pp.20-5.
  
  
  Steklis, H.D. & Harnad, S. (1976) 'From Hand to Mouth: Some Critical
  Stages in the Evolution of Language', in Harnad et al. (eds.), 1976,
  pp.445-455.
  
  
  Turing, A.M. (1950) 'Computing Machinery and Intelligence', Mind,
  vol.49, pp.433-460.  http://cogprints.soton.ac.uk/abs/comp/199807017
  
  
  Wittgenstein, L. (1953) Philosophical Investigations, (New York:
  Macmillan).
relation_type: []
relation_uri: []
reportno: ~
rev_number: 8
series: ~
source: ~
status_changed: 2007-09-12 16:55:07
subjects:
  - cog-psy
  - phil-mind
  - comp-sci-art-intel
  - comp-sci-robot
succeeds: 1622
suggestions: ~
sword_depositor: ~
sword_slug: ~
thesistype: ~
title: What's Wrong and Right About Searle's Chinese Room Argument?
type: bookchapter
userid: 63
volume: ~
<script src='https://archive-bar.soton.ac.uk/archive-bar.js'></script>
<script src='https://archive-bar.soton.ac.uk/google-analytics.js'></script>