Recognition

A 2022 Choice Outstanding Academic Title

This book surveys and examines the most famous philosophical arguments against building a machine with human-level intelligence.

From claims and counter-claims about the ability to implement consciousness, rationality, and meaning, to arguments about cognitive architecture, the book presents a vivid history of the clash between philosophy and AI. Tellingly, the AI Wars are mostly quiet now. Explaining this crucial fact opens new paths to understanding the current resurgence of AI (especially deep learning AI and robotics), what happens when philosophy meets science, and the role of philosophy in the culture in which it is embedded.

Organising the arguments into four core topics - Is AI possible, Architectures of the Mind, Mental Semantics and Mental Symbols, and Rationality and Creativity - this book shows the debate that played out between the philosophers on both sides of the question, and, as well, the debate between philosophers and AI scientists and engineers building AI systems. Up-to-date and forward-looking, the book is packed with fresh insights and supporting material, including:

• Accessible introductions to each war, explaining the background behind the main arguments against AI
• Each chapter details what happened in the AI wars, the legacy of the attacks, and what new controversies are on the horizon.
• Extensive bibliography of key readings