Are computers conscious? Could a computer ever become conscious? Philosopher John Searle has his doubts. He offers a thought experiment he calls the Chinese Room which illustrates the difference between what a computer does and what a human mind does.
In short, a human mind has understanding and meaning (intentionality) but a computer has neither. Computers simply manipulate symbols, following certain rules established by the programmer. The computer neither understands what it does nor attaches any meaning to what it does.
Here's a short video that explainins the problem:
If Searle is right, then there's a qualitative difference between human beings and machines, and it's hard to see how that difference could be overcome by simply designing more powerful computers.
Indeed, the fact that it may prove impossible to replicate human consciousness in machines leads one to wonder how it ever emerged in humans in the first place - especially if one's worldview requires that any such explanation be naturalistic and materialistic.
