Ghost in the Machine Day

Ghost in the Machine Day is a philosophical and mystical holiday annually on June 12th.

History of Ghost in the Machine Day

Is your mind in your body? Does it exist in your brain or is it separate from it? These are a few of the questions we ponder about Ghost in the Machine Day today. "Ghost in the Machine" is a philosophical phrase that deals with the relationship between mind and body. It criticizes the idea that the mind is a distinct entity from the body, by saying such an idea is like believing there is a "ghost in the machine." Gilbert Ryle coined the phrase and first used it in his 1949 book, The Concept of Mind. In it, he called René Descartes' belief in body-mind dualism "the ghost in the machine". Others besides Descartes also believed that there is a mind separate from the body, and that it can live on after the body dies. Ryle's beliefs were the opposite of this: he believed that consciousness and mind depended on the brain and were not separate from it.

Today, there are other uses of the phrase in mainstream English. If a device has a ghost in the machine that means it can consciously make it behave in a way that is contrary to the way the operator wants it to work. This term is used by computer operators, to describe when a computer runs contrary to how they expect it to. Don't know why Ghost in the Machine Day is happening when it does, but it's the perfect day to contemplate the connection between your mind and body and think about devices that seem to have their own minds.

How to celebrate Ghost in the Machine Day

You can celebrate this day by reading Gilbert Ryle's Concept of the Mind, or by reading Arthur Koestler's Ghost in the Machine, in which Ryle's concept appeared. You can also read a book by or about Descartes and his views on mind-body dualism. There are also many movies, TV episodes and musicals called "Ghost in the Machine" that you can enjoy.