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Evaluating the explanatory power of the Conscious Turing Machine

Kirkeby-Hinrup, Asger LU ; Stenseke, Jakob LU and Overgaard, Morten (2024) In Consciousness and Cognition 124.
Abstract
The recent “Conscious Turing Machine” (CTM) proposal offered by Manuel and Lenore Blum aims to define and explore consciousness, contribute to the solution of the hard problem, and demonstrate the value of theoretical computer science with respect to the study of consciousness. Surprisingly, given the ambitiousness and novelty of the proposal (and the prominence of its creators), CTM has received relatively little attention. We here seek to remedy this by offering an exhaustive evaluation of CTM. Our evaluation considers the explanatory power of CTM in three different domains of interdisciplinary consciousness studies: the philosophy of mind, cognitive neuroscience, and computation. Based on our evaluation in each of the target domains, at... (More)
The recent “Conscious Turing Machine” (CTM) proposal offered by Manuel and Lenore Blum aims to define and explore consciousness, contribute to the solution of the hard problem, and demonstrate the value of theoretical computer science with respect to the study of consciousness. Surprisingly, given the ambitiousness and novelty of the proposal (and the prominence of its creators), CTM has received relatively little attention. We here seek to remedy this by offering an exhaustive evaluation of CTM. Our evaluation considers the explanatory power of CTM in three different domains of interdisciplinary consciousness studies: the philosophy of mind, cognitive neuroscience, and computation. Based on our evaluation in each of the target domains, at present, any claim that CTM constitutes progress is premature. Nevertheless, the model has potential, and we highlight several possible avenues of future research which proponents of the model may pursue in its development. (Less)
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; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Consciousness, Turing machines, CTM, Explanatory power, Computer science, Cognitive neuroscience, Philosophy of mind
in
Consciousness and Cognition
volume
124
article number
103736
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • pmid:39163807
ISSN
1053-8100
DOI
10.1016/j.concog.2024.103736
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
351a34d0-4e26-499f-b709-0719263ba22f
date added to LUP
2024-08-22 11:32:58
date last changed
2024-08-24 03:00:09
@article{351a34d0-4e26-499f-b709-0719263ba22f,
  abstract     = {{The recent “Conscious Turing Machine” (CTM) proposal offered by Manuel and Lenore Blum aims to define and explore consciousness, contribute to the solution of the hard problem, and demonstrate the value of theoretical computer science with respect to the study of consciousness. Surprisingly, given the ambitiousness and novelty of the proposal (and the prominence of its creators), CTM has received relatively little attention. We here seek to remedy this by offering an exhaustive evaluation of CTM. Our evaluation considers the explanatory power of CTM in three different domains of interdisciplinary consciousness studies: the philosophy of mind, cognitive neuroscience, and computation. Based on our evaluation in each of the target domains, at present, any claim that CTM constitutes progress is premature. Nevertheless, the model has potential, and we highlight several possible avenues of future research which proponents of the model may pursue in its development.}},
  author       = {{Kirkeby-Hinrup, Asger and Stenseke, Jakob and Overgaard, Morten}},
  issn         = {{1053-8100}},
  keywords     = {{Consciousness; Turing machines; CTM; Explanatory power; Computer science; Cognitive neuroscience; Philosophy of mind}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{08}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Consciousness and Cognition}},
  title        = {{Evaluating the explanatory power of the Conscious Turing Machine}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.concog.2024.103736}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.concog.2024.103736}},
  volume       = {{124}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}