Stathis Papaioannou wrote: > Peter Jones writes (quoting SP): > > > > The constraints (a) and (b) you mention are ad hoc and an unnecessary > > > complication. Suppose Klingon > > > computers change their internal code every clock cycle according to the > > > well-documented radioactive > > > decay pattern of a sacred stone 2000 years ago. If we got our hands on > > > one of these computers and > > > monitored its internal states it would seem completely random; but if we > > > had the Klingon manual, we > > > would see that the computer was actually multiplying two numbers, or > > > implementing a Klingon AI, or > > > whatever. Would you say that these computations were not valid because > > > it's a dumb way to design > > > a computer? > > > > I'd say that a defintion of "computer" that applies to everything is > > useless. > > I agree, it's completely useless to *us* because we couldn't interact with it.
I don't mean that if a defintion of "computer" applied to everything the *computer* would be useless. I mean that if a defintion of "computer" applied to everything the *definition* would be useless. > That would be the end of the matter unless we say that computation can lead > to consciousness, creating as it were its own observer. Are you prepared to > argue that the aforementioned Klingon AI suddenly stops being conscious when > the last copy of the manual which would allow us to interact with it is > destroyed? > > ... > > I can say that a hydrogen atom can't compute an entire virtual > > universe, > > because there isn't enough "room". > > If you can map multiple computation states to one physical state, then all > the requisite computations can be run in parallel on a very limited physical > system. Hmm. Including limitations in time? --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Everything List" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/everything-list -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
