Obviously, they can be made to simulate the process of consciousness, just as our electric global networks now begin to simulate the condition of our central nervous system. But a conscious computer would still be one that was an extension of our consciousness, as a telescope is an extension of our eyes, or as a ventriloquist's dummy is an extension of the ventriloquist.
Understanding Media, 1964, MIT/Routledge edition, p 351
Year: 1964
Chapters:
Computer | Consciousness | Dropout | Extending Consciousness | Living Unity | Mastering Technology | Predictions
Compiled by William Kuhns
© 2026, The Estate of Marshall McLuhan
© 2026, The Estate of Marshall McLuhan