Aaron Hertzmann says the brain is not a computer, raising the stakes for AGI
yacineMTB · x · 2026-07-28
Aaron Hertzmann argues that the brain is not just a computer and therefore cannot simply be simulated as one. In his view, digital computers operate through rigid logical steps and abstraction layers, while brains are biological systems spanning electrical, chemical, protein, and fluid interactions across many scales.
He says the question matters far beyond art: if the brain really were just a computer, then human-like intelligence and consciousness could eventually be built or simulated. If it is fundamentally different, then “intelligent AI” and “conscious AI” become much more speculative. The piece is framed as a more concrete follow-up to his earlier essay on the topic.
Related event: Computer Scientist Argues Brain Is Not a Computer, Igniting AGI Debate(2 posts)→
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