Original scientific paper

Modeling Consciousness in Virtual Computational Machines. Functionalism and Phenomenology

Igor Aleksander ; Imperial College London, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, London, UK

Abstract

This paper describes the efforts of those who work with informational machines and with informational analyses to provide a basis for understanding consciousness and for speculating on what it would take to make a conscious machine. Some of the origins of these considerations are covered and the contributions of several researchers are reviewed. A distinction is drawn between functional and phenomenological approaches showing how the former lead to algorithmic methods based on conventional programming, while the latter lead to neural network analyses. Attention is drawn to the many open questions that this approach generates and some speculation on what future work might bring is included.

Keywords

science of consciousness; computer Modeling of cognition; phenomenology in machines; virtual machines

Hrčak ID:

23585

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/23585

Publication date:

15.2.2008.

Article data in other languages: french german

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