A Short History of the Mind (and some of the Weird Things We've Thought About It)

The mind has puzzled thinkers for centuries—Descartes saw it as something separate from the body, while today, we tend to think of it as an information processor. Over time, our understanding has shifted, shaped by philosophy, psychology, and even breakthroughs in computing. But the question remains: is the mind just a biological machine crunching data, or is there something fundamental missing from this picture? If thinking is just processing information, then what exactly is the difference between a human mind and a powerful computer? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit suzitravis.substack.com