Is the Brain a Computer?

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Dennis Hackethal’s avatar
Dennis HackethalOP​·​#215​·​

Anything that processes information is a computer.

The brain processes information.

Therefore, the brain is a computer.

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Knut Sondre Sæbø’s avatar
Knut Sondre Sæbø, revised by Dennis HackethalOP​·​#1498​·​
Only version leading to #1500 (2 total)

I think you run into circular dependence if you exhaustively try to account for brain function by information processing. Even Claude Shannon’s definition of information depends on a «mind/perspective» defining a range of possible states. The world devoid of any perspective would have infinite states and systems depending on how you «view the world». An example I have previously given is the flickering flags computation in the tv show (books) The Three-Body Problem. This computation depends on a mind defining states and logical relations.

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Dennis Hackethal’s avatar
Dennis HackethalOP​·​#1500​·​

I think you run into circular dependence if you exhaustively try to account for brain function by information processing.

It’s not meant to be exhaustive. I’m not saying the brain is a computer and only a computer. It does other stuff too but that alone doesn’t mean it’s not a computer.

Criticism of #1498