Gödel, Minds, and Machines - Web links

Page last updated 18 Sept 2023

For the past fifty years there has been a continuing argument as to whether Gödel’s incompleteness proof shows that minds are more than mere machines (albeit complex ones). A common line of argument is that a human can ‘see’ that the ‘Gödel sentence’ is ‘true’ but a machine could not have this ‘insight’, since a machine must always follow definite rules, just like a formal system. And even after fifty years of argument neither side is prepared to concede defeat and lay aside their cherished beliefs. Those advocating this viewpoint are commonly called ‘anti-mechanists’, while those opposing it are called ‘mechanists’.

As you can see by the number of links below, there is a plethora of articles on this subject, of various degrees of quality. It seems that you can say almost anything about Gödel’s proof, provided you avoid any mention of the ultimate taboo – that is, you never suggest that there might be an error in Gödel’s logic.

It doesn’t seem to occur to anyone that the continuing conflict of viewpoints and the heated debate over the issue might indicate a problem in Gödel’s proof, rather than a problem in its interpretation. It is somewhat ironic that the mechanists are as definitive as the anti-mechanists in their deeply held belief that there cannot possibly be any error in Gödel’s proof. The demonstration that there is actually a fundamental flaw in the logic of Gödel’s proof (see The flaw in Gödel’s proof), and also in the logic of various other incompleteness proofs (see Analysis of Incompleteness Proofs) settles the question at once, since, at a stroke, it pulls out the principal cornerstone of the anti-mechanist argument.

Below are links to various articles on the Gödel, Minds, and Machines question. Links to articles on other aspects of Gödel’s theorem can be found on this page: Gödel Links. If you think an item should be included on this page please let me know.

Please note: Inclusion in this list does not mean I recommend any of the items in this list.

Online material on the Gödel, Minds, and Machines argument

See further down the page below for books and non-free online material

Note: The principal anti-mechanists are John Randolph Lucas, Roger Penrose, Michael Redhead and Storrs McCall. There are many more pro-mechanists. The articles by the principal anti-mechanists are listed first - this is for the convenience of the reader only, and does not indicate any partiality towards these authors.

The principal anti-mechanist authors

Other authors

Books and non-free online material

The articles are not available free online, except at sci hub, see Current sci-hub active links or Latest Sci Hub Links and Download Research Papers and Scientific Articles for free.

The principal anti-mechanist authors

Other authors