Artificial Intelligence and the Mind-Body Problem: Surl's Chinese Room Argument

This set of flashcards covers key concepts related to John Surl's Chinese room argument, artificial intelligence, and the philosophical discussions surrounding the mind-body relationship, ethics of speciesism, and hedonism.

Chinese room argument

A thought experiment by John Surl arguing that computers cannot think because they only manipulate symbols without understanding their meaning.

Strong AI

Artificial intelligence that possesses understanding and learning abilities equivalent to human intelligence.

Weak AI

Artificial intelligence that mimics human behavior without genuine understanding or consciousness.

Physicalism

The belief that mental states are identical to physical states, particularly brain states.

Dualism

The belief that the mind and body are two distinct substances, often illustrated in philosophical discussions by Descartes.

Dual aspect theory

The belief that the mind is a non-physical aspect of the brain, combining elements of both dualism and physicalism.

Syntax

The structure or form of statements, particularly in language or computer programming.

Semantics

The meaning or content of statements; the interpretation of linguistic expressions.

Algorithm

A step-by-step procedure for solving a problem or accomplishing a task, often used in programming.

Genuine thinking

The ability to understand and have conscious awareness of one's thoughts, as opposed to merely processing information.

Turing Test

A test proposed by Alan Turing to determine if a machine can exhibit intelligent behavior equivalent to, or indistinguishable from, that of a human.

Mind-body problem

A philosophical issue concerning the relationship between mental states and physical processes.

Sentience

The capacity to have sensations and feelings, particularly the ability to experience pleasure and pain.

Speciesism

A prejudice or bias in favor of one species (often humans) over others, leading to different moral consideration based solely on species membership.

Moral consideration

The status of being worthy of ethical consideration and respect in moral decision-making.

Hedonism

The philosophical idea that pleasure is the principal good in life and the only intrinsic value.

Experience machine

A thought experiment proposed by Robert Nozick that questions the value of pleasure by suggesting a machine that can give individuals any experience they desire.