Meaning of Thought

Markus Gabriel holds the chair for Epistemology, Modern and Contemporary Philosophy at the University of Bonn and is also the Director of the International Center for Philosophy in Bonn.

“Markus Gabriel is that rare beast, a serious academic philosopher with the wit and talent to write for non-academic audiences – the German equivalent of Simon Blackburn. This engaging book displays his characteristic insight, in the service of pluralistic metaphysics and inclusive humanism. It's an attractive mix.”Huw Price, University of Cambridge“One of the youngest protagonists on the global intellectual stage, Markus Gabriel has designed the architecture of a "New Realism" that inspires specialists and readers alike yearning for an intellectual challenge. Conceiving of philosophy as a theory of thought, he shows how understanding our relationship to the world begins with abandoning the premise that we could ever be separated from it. Doing philosophy along the movements of Gabriel's text thus turns into a pleasurable fulfilment of human existence.”Hans Ulrich Gumbrecht, Albert Guérard Professor in Literature, Emeritus, Stanford University“Markus Gabriel is an important and critical voice in the discourse about artificial intelligence, data and technology. He criticizes today’s AI mythologies from a fundamentally humanistic perspective about the nature of thought itself. This book will help you navigate the inevitable digitization of individuals and societies.”Andreas Weigend, PhD; global expert on data and privacy, author of Data for the People, former chief scientist at Amazon and advisor to Angela Merkel.“The Meaning of Thought is a tour de force, combining a critique of naturalistic metaphysics with a diagnosis of our failure to understand ourselves and our place – our immersion – in reality. Markus Gabriel moves with ease from the history of philosophy to popular culture and the theory and culture of artificial intelligence. His New Realism, which countenances a multitude of realities, nevertheless allows him to expose current enthusiasm for the very idea of computer intelligence as a superstition symptomatic of the dangerous unreflectiveness of modern thought.”Taylor Carman, Chair, Dept of Philosophy, Barnard College"a tour de force"Los Angeles Review of Books

• Acknowledgements NotesPrefaceNotesIntroductionNotes1 The Truth about ThoughtComplexity without endWhat is thinking?Humans are not the only thinkersThe scope of the universeAristotle’s sensesCommon sense made sensibleThe meaning of ‘sense’, or: the many ways of being wrongThe loneliness of cosmic exileNot all objects are thingsAre there (really) any red bottle caps?Thinking is not an irritation of the nervous systemNothing but the truthThe world as a wish listFrege’s thoughtsInformation and fake newsOur sixth senseNotes2 Thought EngineeringThe map and the territoryCan computers speak Chinese?Photos don’t remember CreteAn ant is crawling on a patch of sand, and why this has nothing to do with Winston ChurchillThe God of the InternetCivilization and its discontentsThe god of the internetEmotional intelligence and hidden values in the digital labyrinthA religion called ‘functionalism’Thought is not a vending machine …… and the soul is not a pile of beer cansPacemakers for the brain?The idea of technology, or: how do I build a house?Total mobilizationSociety is not a video gameThe Achilles heel of functionalismNotes3 The Digital Transformation of SocietyIt’s perfectly logical, isn’t it?Some set-theoretical ping-pongEverything crashes eventuallyDo computers really know anything?Heidegger’s murmuringsOne miracle too manyIn the age of ‘complete orderability’Trapped in The Circle?A fleeting visit to Winden – society as nuclear power plantOne consciousness to go, please!Who has a problem here?Notes4 Why Only Animals ThinkThe nooscopeOn souls and index card boxes‘And now come, thou well-worn broom’Illuminated brainsConsciousness first – Tononi meets HusserlInside, outside or nowhereA slimy and intricate piece of realityNotes5 Reality and SimulationMental cinema meets smartphoneThe unavoidable MatrixIn memoriam: Jean BaudrillardHorror and hunger (games)Beautiful new world – welcome to The SimsAre you awake or trapped in your dreams?Do you know Holland?Matter and ignoranceWhat is reality?A hybrid realityFish, fish, fishThe shimmering spectrum of realityCaesar’s hairs, India’s manhole covers and GermanyFrege’s elegant theory of factsOn the limits of our knowledgeDo thoughts lurk within the skull?The difference between cauliflower, cognac and the thought of thoughtHuman AIThe end of humanity – tragedy or comedy?NotesThe End of the Book – a Pathos-Laden Final RemarkGlossaryIndex