The answer to this depends on how we define a mind. According to functionalists, a human mind and a reasonably sophisticated robot's processor would not be all that different. Functionalists believe that all things in the universe are composed of matter, including the human mind. To them, a mind is simply a biological input/output device. In other words, your mind responds to stimuli in a preprogrammed manner. If we think of minds this way, they are not all that different from the idealized state of artificial intelligence. Therefore, it is conceivable that a robot could have a mind.

However, if we take a dualistic approach, a robot cannot truly have a mind because it lacks a soul. Dualists contend that the mind or soul is intrinsically different from matter. The brain is merely the physical mechanism for thought, but thought itself exists on an intangible level. If this is the case, there is a fundamental difference between what can be observed by one's senses and the thoughts we have. Exactly what makes a mind according to dualists is unclear and debated, but it is not anything tangible. Therefore, even the most sophisticated robot would be nothing more than a very advanced calculator lacking a true mind.