the nature of thoughts

[angelofdeath9308]

Can anyone point me to what I can read about the nature of thoughts/ideas/memory?
If one were to dissect a brain, would one find "thoughts" in there?
Or does anyone have any opinions on this subject?
If thoughts can be reproduced via AI, then does that mean that thoughts can be found in the brain? or that they are similar to what goes on inside of a computer?

 

[ARC150]

Can anyone point me to what I can read about the nature of thoughts/ideas/memory?
If one were to dissect a brain, would one find "thoughts" in there?
Or does anyone have any opinions on this subject?
If thoughts can be reproduced via AI, then does that mean that thoughts can be found in the brain? or that they are similar to what goes on inside of a computer?

Great topic.

There are many many writings on this, of course. If you would, please clarify what aspects of thoughts/ideas/memory with which you are interested in starting.

In the meantime, you can try the classics: Aristotle wrote a piece entitled On Memory and Reminiscence that can be found online here...worth reading as a start, but does not get to the question of whether (or, in what way) thought is similar to artificial intelligence (Aristotle rarely comments on AI ).

 

[judas69]

If you really want to understand the mechanics of the brain and how thoughts manifest (ie the pandemonium model) and implications wrt AI ..you'll want to find some good psychology, computer science or neuroscience textbooks instead.

 

[Soilworker]

the brain has no science to it, it was all created by god and all this 'neuroscience' is simply antichristian propoganda.

you think becuase god lets you, not because you want to.

appreciate it, and thank him.

 

[derbeder]

You might want to check out the following books if you are interested in an AI perspective into the philosophy of mind:

John Haugeland (ed.) - Mind Design II (a collection of articles on the subject from Turing's classic paper to the research on connectionist networks and mobile robots around early 1990s)
- Artificial Intelligence: The Very Idea (a clear and penetrating criticism of classical AI research)

Andy Clark - Being There (probably best picked up after an introductory reading, but very interesting)
- Mindware (a very good introductory book into the subject. very much up to date.)

Hubert Dreyfus - What Computers Still Can't Do? (a rather influential criticism of old AI research. it is sometimes difficult to follow Dreyfus' argument, but his main points are very important and have been incorporated in future AI research in some ways)

It is also good to have read a more general introduction to the philosophy of mind with a text like:

Paul Churchland - Matter and Consciousness