In this paper, I examine if strong artificial intelligence can be achieved or not. Can machines have a mind, be conscious, think and have subjective experiences, just like a human? I analyze David Chalmers arguments supporting the possibility of strong AI and conclude that his emulation argument and principle of organizational invariance is not a sufficient condition for strong AI. Instead, I defend the thesis that life is a necessary condition for any conscious agent, human or machine (or other), to have a mind, be able to think and have subjective experiences. I revisit the ideas of the soul and of vitalism and the need for a life force energy, an élan vital as introduced by Henri Bergson. In the investigation of life I also examine if strong artificial life can be achieved or not, since this would be a prerequisite for strong AI.

This work deals with the field of artificial intelligence and the interconnected question of the possibility to make thinking machines. The natural and human intelligence evolution summary outlines the starting points of the field. To give the clearer picture of the problem, I also describe the development of artificial intelligence branch and the development of computers. My work combines informatics and philosophical approaches. In the scope of the first one, I summarize different approaches to AI, with emphasis on sub-symbolic methods which are used afterwards to explain the concept of intelligence development. In the scope of the philosophical approach, the text deals with different philosophical points of view on making intelligent machines, which comment phenomena like consciousness, subjective experience or the body-mind problem. I contradict the use of intuition to solve the thought experiments dealing with mind and I argue for the possibility to make intelligent machines. The futurology visions are the last starting point for stating my opinion on the future development of IA and human ability to make the thinking machine.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-28T14:16:16Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Eli Banks Liberato da Costa.pdf: 7788655 bytes, checksum: 8a2e3668051ba71d8dfce7fc45af3a33 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-10-15 / The theme of the origins of computers has aroused controversies that are not always well enlightened. This paper intends to contribute to the subject focusing on the mechanical calculating machines designed in the first half of the nineteenth century by Charles Babbage (1791-1871). It presents the main motivations of its inventor, his ideas, difficulties and ingenuity to face some completely new and challenging technical problems. We also analyze the French motivations and solution to solve calculus problems. In the context of that time, we examined carefully the question of communication between man and machine, so far an intriguing innovation that generated enthusiasm, controversy and many speculations. We highlight Babbage s perception that there was "some slight analogy to the operation of the faculty of memory", an idea shared by some of his contemporaries. Even at that time, then, the idea of the "thinking machine" arose, ancestor of the more recent idea of the "electronic brain". Finally we refer to the not so expressive Babbage s technical legacy as opposed to a meaningful and engaging fact that he stimulated an opening for a new and fascinating human activity: the dialogue between man and the machine of his creation. Keywords / O tema das origens dos computadores tem despertado controvérsias que nem sempre ficam bem esclarecidas. Este trabalho pretende contribuir com esse assunto focalizando as máquinas calculadoras mecânicas projetadas na primeira metade do século XIX por Charles Babbage (1791-1871). São apresentadas as principais motivações de seu inventor, suas ideias, dificuldades e engenhosidade ao enfrentar alguns problemas técnicos completamente novos e desafiantes. Analisamos também as motivações e solução francesa para resolver os problemas de cálculo. No contexto dessa época, aprofundamo-nos na questão da comunicação do homem com a máquina, então uma intrigante novidade que gerou entusiasmos, controvérsias e muitas especulações. Destacamos a percepção de Babbage de que havia alguma leve analogia com as faculdades da memória , ideia compartilhada com alguns de seus contemporâneos. Surge então, já naquela época, a ideia da máquina de pensar , ancestral da idéia mais recente do cérebro eletrônico . Finalmente referimo-nos ao não tão expressivo legado técnico de Babbage em contraposição a um significativo e envolvente fato dele ter estimulado uma abertura para uma nova e fascinante atividade humana: o diálogo do homem com a máquina de sua criação