Is your brain a computer? Daniel Dennett vs Keith Ward

High profile atheist philosopher Daniel C Dennett goes head to head with Christian theologian Keith Ward in this extract from their debate on mind, consciousness and freewill.

In this excerpt Dennett and Ward debate whether the brain is like a complex computer.

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[UnratedAwesomeness]

Wait, the brain's workings is too complicated for a brain?? Well what's doing the workings then? Does a computer need a desktop interface with little folders in order to perform it's tasks? If anything the UI is added baggage. Does a calculator need a screen to calculate? Does a computer need a little Folder Icon to sort files? Sounds quite circular to me, because without consciousness we wouldn't even experience complexity in the first place!

[Krontok]

Everytime I hear that something's 'too complicated' all I can think is their too invested in their paradigm to admit they have no idea how to explain it under said paradigm.

[MidiwaveProductions]

"Eliminative materialism = The claim that: 1. That which is experienced (qualia), and that which is experiencing (Consciousness) is not real. 2. That which is not experienced (matter) is the only thing that is real."

[ob]

A "computer" is mind dependent. Without explaining the mental intentions of the designer who built it, it is not a computer. Computers must be explains in terms of human minds, not human minds in terms of computers. Dennett has this backwards.

[photoreference]

You didn’t put the other guy’s side? Wtf? Anyway, Dennett is always slightly harsh with his wording, illusion being void of proper respect. However, there is no more respectful word for it, sadly. Thus, a compromise of understanding must be made.

[Rakscha-Sun]

A true computer scientist like Bernado Kastrup would tell you that hat there is no difference between the software and the hardware of a computer. I hence have no clue what Dennet is meaning by this analogy. Brainscience is the most quack science I have ever seen.