Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas 339 | Ned Block on Whether Consciousness Requires Biology
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Jan 5, 2026 Ned Block, a distinguished philosopher and Silver Professor at NYU, dives into the complex nature of consciousness. He emphasizes the distinction between phenomenal and access consciousness, challenging the limits of the Turing Test. Block critiques computational functionalism, arguing that physical mechanisms may be essential for true consciousness. They explore whether AI could ever truly be conscious and discuss the moral implications of consciousness in machines. Block's insights shed light on the evolving conversation around what it means to be aware.
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Computation Alone May Not Explain Consciousness
- Computational functionalism treats consciousness as purely input-output computations implemented in any substrate.
- Ned Block and Sean Carroll suggest that how computations are implemented may matter for phenomenal consciousness.
Phenomenal vs Access Consciousness
- Ned Block distinguishes phenomenal consciousness (what it's like) from access consciousness (global availability of information).
- He treats phenomenal consciousness as something you must point to rather than define precisely.
They're Made Of Meat Story
- Ned Block recounts the short story "They're Made of Meat" to illustrate meat-centric puzzlement about biological minds.
- The story humorously shows alien machines shocked that intelligent beings are "made of meat".
