Michael Rescorla: Is Computation Formal?

Lecture by Michael Rescorla (University of California, Santa Barbara), organized by the Department of Theoretical Philosophy

The classical computational theory of mind (CTM) holds that mental processes are importantly similar to computations executed by a Turing machine. Proponents typically develop CTM in conjunction with a formal-syntactic picture of computation, according to which computation is sensitive to syntax but not semantics. Advocates include Jerry Fodor, Zenon Pylyshyn, C. R. Gallistel, Stephen Stich, and many others. A few philosophers (such as Tyler Burge and Christopher Peacocke) favor an alternative "content-involving" conception of computation (continue reading..).