You, Me, and the Machine: Philosophy and the Idea of AI

The idea of AI raises epistemological questions about the nature of mind. What does it mean to claim that a machine thinks and understands? In better understanding some epistemological puzzles about AI, we will better understand puzzles about our knowledge of others, and ultimately knowledge of ourselves. Topics may include: symbolic and connectionist AI, the computational theory of mind, intentionality, mental content, embodied cognition, functionalism, behaviorism, consciousness, and self-knowledge. Authors may include: Turing, Searle, Putnam, Nagel, Dreyfus, Kant, Heidegger, and Wittgenstein. Students will gain familiarity and practice with philosophy as an activity by interpreting, evaluating, and constructing arguments. No background in computer science is required.