Kierkegaard: The Temporal and the Eternal
Philosopher Hubert Dreyfus continues his discussion of Kierkegaaard, whose views embody what Kierkegaard calls the temporal and the eternal. The temporal refers to living day-to-day in time. The eternal refers to one's unconditional commitment. Kier...
Kierkegaard and the Infinite
Philosopher Hubert Dreyfus talks about Kierkegaard's views of the self, observing that for Kierkegaard, one's whole world is organized in terms of what is relevant, significant and important, and that is tied up with one's unconditional commitment t...
Artificial Intelligence
Philosopher Hubert Dreyfus talks about initial efforts in the late 1950's to give computers human-like intelligence, which came to be known as artificial intelligence, or "AI."
Aristotle on Knowledge
Philosopher Hubert Dreyfus says that Aristotle believed when people perform in an expert manner, it's because they have a skill to do so, not because they are following principles that are innate or learned.
Artificial Intelligence: The Common Sense Problem
Professor of Philosophy Hubert Dreyfus talks about recognizing early on that computers using only symbols and rules can't match what a human brain can do, because the machines lack what we call common sense.
Being and Nothingness: Jean Paul Sartre
Philosopher Hubert Dreyfus talks about Jean-Paul Sartre, who views all human activity as a way of trying to cover up our nothingness and delude ourselves into thinking that we have an identity, content and meaning in our lives.
Darwin and Human Nature
Philosopher Hubert Dreyfus talks about Charles Darwin, who wrote at about the same time as Kierkegaard, but wasn't drawn in by the same existentialist concerns. Darwin believed there is something like a human nature, even if unplanned by God. In fac...
Does the Mind Shape the World?: Does the Mind Shape the World?
Immanuel Kant, born in 1724 sought to resolve a controversy that had been brewing for over a century. Rationalists argued that knowledge is based on reasoning inside our minds. Empirists disagreed saying that all knowledge must come from the senses....
The Scientific View of Human Nature
Continuing his discussion of science and its limitations, philosopher Hubert Dreyfus says that science is good at figuring out facts, like the genetic code or what human beings need in order to survive. Where science falls short, Professor Dreyfus e...
Getting in Contact with Reality
Philosopher Hubert Dreyfus contrasts differing views of reality and how we encounter it, as expressed by Martin Heidegger and Jean Paul-Sartre. He points out that where Heidegger sees meaning--as in objects in the environment--Sartre sees meaningles...