May 24, 2006
John Searle on the question of consciousness:
John Searle, one of the most important and controversial philosophers of mind, is featured on this week's ABC Radio The Philosopher's Zone discussing the question of consciousness.
Searle has been active since the 1960s and has made some of the most influential contributions to cognitive science, including the famous Chinese room thought experiment that addresses the question of whether information processing would be sufficient to account for intelligent thought.
Understandably, this has been used in arguments about the possibilities of artificial intelligence and machine consciousness.
Searle has long argued that machines cannot be conscious, and that conscious states can only be supported by biological systems.
In the programme, Searle talks about his own approach to solving the problem of consciousness, the importance of understanding neurobiology, and the dangers of getting in bed with Descartes.
mp3 or realaudio of programme.
Link to transcript.
