Th phlsphy f rtfcl ntllgnc s brnch f th phlsphy f mnd nd th phlsphy f cmptr scnc tht xplrs rtfcl ntllgnc nd ts mplctns fr knwldg nd ndrstndng f ntllgnc, thcs, cnscsnss, pstmlgy, nd fr wll. Frthrmr, th tchnlgy s cncrnd wth th crtn f rtfcl nmls r rtfcl ppl (r, t lst, rtfcl crtrs; s rtfcl lf) s th dscpln s f cnsdrbl ntrst t phlsphrs. Ths fctrs cntrbtd t th mrgnc f th phlsphy f rtfcl ntllgnc.
Th phlsphy f rtfcl ntllgnc ttmpts t nswr sch qstns s fllws:
Cn mchn ct ntllgntly? Cn t slv ny prblm tht prsn wld slv by thnkng?
r hmn ntllgnc nd mchn ntllgnc th sm? s th hmn brn ssntlly cmptr?
Cn mchn hv mnd, mntl stts, nd cnscsnss n th sm sns tht hmn bng cn? Cn t fl hw thngs r? (.. ds t hv ql?)
Qstns lk ths rflct th dvrgnt ntrsts f rsrchrs, cgntv scntsts nd phlsphrs rspctvly. Th scntfc nswrs t ths qstns dpnd n th dfntn f "ntllgnc" nd "cnscsnss" nd xctly whch "mchns" r ndr dscssn.
mprtnt prpstns n th phlsphy f ncld sm f th fllwng:
Trng's "plt cnvntn": f mchn bhvs s ntllgntly s hmn bng, thn t s s ntllgnt s hmn bng.
Th Drtmth prpsl: "vry spct f lrnng r ny thr ftr f ntllgnc cn n prncpl b s prcsly dscrbd tht mchn cn b md t smlt t."
lln Nwll nd Hrbrt . Smn's physcl symbl systm hypthss: " physcl symbl systm hs th ncssry nd sffcnt mns f gnrl ntllgnt ctn."
Jhn Srl's strng hypthss: "Th pprprtly prgrmmd cmptr wth th rght npts nd tpts wld thrby hv mnd n xctly th sm sns hmn bngs hv mnds."
Hbbs' mchnsm: "Fr 'rsn' ... s nthng bt 'rcknng,' tht s ddng nd sbtrctng, f th cnsqncs f gnrl nms grd pn fr th 'mrkng' nd 'sgnfyng' f r thghts..."