Conscious agents can instantiate computer programs
Fodor's strengthened notion of instantiation doesn't rule out the possibility of a conscious agent performing the symbol manipulations. The causal connections Fodor asks for are supplied by the man in the room.
The idea that conscious agents can't instantiate computer programs is preposterous.

If that idea was true, Alan Turing himself wouldn't have known what a Turing machine was, given that some of his examples specifically involve conscious agents going through the steps of the program.

John Searle, 1991.
Immediately related elementsHow this works
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Artificial Intelligence »Artificial Intelligence
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Can computers think? [1] »Can computers think? [1]
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Yes: physical symbol systems can think [3] »Yes: physical symbol systems can think [3]
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The Chinese Room Argument [4] »The Chinese Room Argument [4]
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Man in Chinese Room doesn't instantiate a progam »Man in Chinese Room doesn't instantiate a progam
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Proper instantiations require the right causal connections »Proper instantiations require the right causal connections
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Conscious agents can instantiate computer programs
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John Searle »John Searle
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The Chinese Room Argument [4] »The Chinese Room Argument [4]
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