Human Mind and Machine

The present volume is the outcome of two National Seminars organised by me at the Centre of Advanced Study in Sanskrit, University of Pune from 7th to 9th May, 2001 and from 29th of October to 31st of October, 2001 in collaboration with the Vedic Research Centre of the India international Multiversity, Pune. The theme of the first seminar was "Nature and Function of Mind" and that of the second seminar was "Human Mind and Machine". Since the aim of both the seminars was the same, namely, to know the nature and function of human mind and to discover the distinction between the experiencer and the inner instrument through which the experiencer experiences, the papers presented and discussed at both the seminars have been included in this volume. The seminars also aimed at drawing a parallelism between human mind and computer which, though a product of human mind, is expected to perform the function of human mind.

These discussions will lead to, I believe, a serious dialogue to approach the Reality in a scientific manner. I am looking forward to a day when we can understand better the dichotomy between sentient and non-sentient, between the experiencer and instrument of his experience, between soul and mind and between mind and machine if at all there is any such distinction.

Till to-day we know very little about what the first and second personal pronouns refer to. The age-old upanisadic enquiry such as Ko 'ham 'who am I?' has not yet found any satisfactory answer. The quest dialogue, therefore, must continue.

I am thankful to Dr. Vijay Bhatkar, the Chancellor of the Multiversity, the renowned computer scientist and a great lover and admirer of Indian Cultural Heritage for his constant encouragement and support.

I hope, the papers in this volume will receive that age-old enquiry with new perspective. I am thankful to all the contributors to this volume.

**Contents and Sample Pages**