What is a Computer? A Survey

William J. Rapaport

doi:10.1007/s11023-018-9465-6

What is a Computer? A Survey

William J. Rapaport

Department of Computer Science and Engineering

University at Buffalo

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

9 Scopus citations

Abstract

A critical survey of some attempts to define ‘computer’, beginning with some informal ones (from reference books, and definitions due to H. Simon, A.L. Samuel, and M. Davis), then critically evaluating those of three philosophers (J.R. Searle, P.J. Hayes, and G. Piccinini), and concluding with an examination of whether the brain and the universe are computers.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	385-426
Number of pages	42
Journal	Minds and Machines
Volume	28
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s11023-018-9465-6
State	Published - Sep 1 2018

Keywords

Arthur Samuel
Computation
Computers
Gualtiero Piccinini
Herbert Simon
John Searle
Martin Davis
Patrick Hayes
Turing machines

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10.1007/s11023-018-9465-6

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KW - John Searle

KW - Martin Davis

KW - Patrick Hayes

KW - Turing machines

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What is a Computer? A Survey

Abstract

Keywords

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