La mente esteriorizzata

The present paper aims to explore the genesis of Artificial Intelligence (AI) through the lens of Ernst Kapp’s theory of organ projection. The introductory section provides an overview of the current issues surrounding AI within the contemporary debate. Subsequently, the second paragraph delves into Kapp’s theory of organ projection as a comprehensive theoretical framework for the analysis. The third part of the paper entails a genealogical and phenomenological analysis of the earliest archetypical models of AI, namely the Turing Machine and von Neumann’s architecture. Within this context, I examine Turing’s and von Neumann’s theories on computers and the brain, along with their critiques, while also considering the possibility of interpreting these machines as products of organ projection. In the final concluding section, I scrutinize the strengths and weaknesses of the theory of projection as a hermeneutical and genealogical model for comprehending AI.