Is the mind like a computer program? Could machines (ever) have consciousness?

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Many psychologists have often equated the human brain to a computer program. Humans can perceive various happenings and problems in the environment and come up with solutions. Computers, on the other hand, interpret the various commands and symbol fed into it to come up with solutions to man’s problems. The key question, however, remains to be whether computers can think or be conscious. Just because they can interpret various symbols doesn’t mean that they are capable of rational judgment. Are they intelligent? Various tests have been proposed to show that a computer can be intelligent and therefore be thinking or conscious. An example is the Turing test where two humans are made to identify the computer in their communication. The test is repeated on for some time, and if the number of wrong identifications exceeds the correct ones, then the computer is intelligent and can think (Copeland, 1993). It has also been argued that humans are also not aware of most of the processes that happen in their brains. When identifying the meaning of various objects, for example, the mind will wander through various thoughts without the awareness of the individual. He will just realize that he has the answer. This argument seeks to put man and the computer in the same category as non-perfect objects. It is, however, my view that the mind should not be compared to a computer program as the two are entirely different. While a human is capable of both syntax and semantics, the computer is only syntax-enabled, i.e., it can only manipulate various symbol, phrases, and words but can’t understand their meaning. The Turing test can, therefore, be dismissed in this way. While it tends

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