Semiotic Systems, Computers, and the Mind: How Cognition Could Be Computing

Computationalism should be the view that cognition is computable; therefore, computationalism can be true even if (human) cognition is not the result of computations in the brain. Semiotic systems should be understood as systems that interpret signs; therefore, both humans and computers are semiotic systems. Minds can be considered as virtual machines implemented in certain semiotic systems, primarily the brain, but also AI computers. I take issue with James H. Fetzer’s arguments to the contrary.