Single Idea 7654

[catalogued under 18. Thought / B. Mechanics of Thought / 6. Artificial Thought / a. Artificial Intelligence]

Full Idea

Neuro-science matters because - and only because - we have discovered that the many different neuromodulators and other chemical messengers that diffuse throughout the brain have functional roles that make important differences.

Gist of Idea

What matters about neuro-science is the discovery of the functional role of the chemistry

Source

Daniel C. Dennett (Sweet Dreams [2005], Ch.1)

Book Reference

Dennett,Daniel C.: 'Sweet Dreams' [MIT 2005], p.19


A Reaction

I agree with Dennett that this is the true ground for pessimism about spectacular breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, rather than abstract concerns about irreducible features of the mind like 'qualia' and 'rationality'.