Abstract

The discipline of Artificial Intelligence, in its quest for machine intelligence, showed great promise as long as its areas of application were limited to problems of a scientific and situation neutral nature. The attempts to move beyond these problems to a full simulation of man's intelligence has faltered and slowed its progress, largely because of the inability of Artificial Intelligence to deal with "human" characteristics, such as, feelings, goals, and desires. This dissertation takes the position that an impasse has resulted because Artificial Intelligence has never been properly defined as a science: its objects and methods have never been identified. The following study undertakes to provide such a definition, i.e., the required ground for Artificial Intelligence. ;The procedure and methods employed in this study are based on Heidegger's philosophy and techniques of analysis as developed in Being and Time. The dissertation develops its position by: providing the explication and justification of the relationship between Artificial Intelligence and Heidegger, using Heidegger's conclusions concerning the Being of Dasein to develop an existential definition of intelligence, then using this definition of intelligence to provide the bridge to a full application of Heidegger's insights to Artificial Intelligence. ;The results of this study show that both the discipline of Artificial Intelligence and the concerns of Heidegger in Being and Time have the same object: fundamental ontology. The application of Heidegger's conclusions concerning fundamental ontology unites the various aspects of Artificial Intelligence and provides the articulation which shows the parts of this discipline and how they are related. The method required is hermeneutic phenomenology as explained in Being and Time. ;Cognitive Sciences, a kindred discipline to Artificial Intelligence, also gains insight and direction from this dissertation's conclusions. In general, this study extends the use of Heidegger's philosophy from predominantly academic areas to new fields. This extension shows that philosophy can and should function as a sister science, rather than a handmaiden, in scientific endeavors