Can AI Think Like Us? Kriegel’s Hybrid Model
Philosophies February 26, 2026 Graziosa Luppi
A systematic critique of two competing paradigms in the philosophy of mind—Naturalist–Externalist Research Program (NERP) and Phenomenal Intentionality Research Program (PIRP)—focuses on Uriah Kriegel’s attempt to reconcile them. Naturalist accounts derive mental content from brain activity and environmental interaction, while phenomenological theories hold that mental states present an internal semblance to the subject. Kriegel tries to naturalize mental content within a Same Order theory, but this limits his ability to ground intentionality in consciousness as PIRP requires. The idea that mind arises from manipulating representations is challenged by dynamical approaches to cognitive science, though advanced representational models persist by simulating phenomenological qualities through internal data organization. The approach is comparative and reconstructive, examining structural tensions between the paradigms.