In What Sense Does the Brain Compute?

In this paper I analyse the notion of computation in the physical world and argue against the widely held view that merely implementing the 'right' sort of computational procedure is sufficient to transform a given configuration of matter and energy into a genuinely mental system. In-stead, I advocate a more scientifically plausible version of the Computa-tional Theory of Mind, wherein the interpretation of the brain as a compu-tational device should (i) provide the theoretical bridge between high level intentional states and causally efficacious physical structure, and (ii) sup-ply the integrated key for predicting both future brain states viewed as im-plementations of abstract computational states, and output behaviour viewed in cognitive terms.