Short remark interleft in italics John On 2/20/07, Brent Meeker <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > John Mikes wrote: > > Brent: > > > > 2 questions (and pls try to take them seriously): > > > > 1. do you have a common-sensibly expressible meaning for 'conscious' - > > in this respect, of machines (computers being so? (conscious of - is > > easier, but also not obvious). > > Short answer - Not a well defined one.
Which is why it is an interesting question whether the computer that is > "reading a mind" partakes of consciousness. Consider the extension of this > technology to a person, who through injury, had no other way of > communicating except as the computer "read their mind". Would that computer > be part of consciousness? The question was "conscious", not "consciousness" which is not the noun referrung to (being) conscious (maybe of something) - Your injured person is fully conscious, and possesses her consciousness, although impaired in communication. Aiding by a device participates in the conscious activity (you may exted it to her consciousness). Part of it: yes. My question was as without a conscious person's input. > > > 2. The BBC article allows 'scans' to inform about 'theoretical' (or > > whatever is the appropriate word they use) topics. Do they have a > > price-list: how many mAmps refer to 'delusional aberration' vs. how many > > to 'inductive prognostication'? > > Not that I know of. My point. News in the media usually miss the 'real' information and talk 'per apices' in news-level. They aim at the emotionally influenceable purse of the audience, not the (scientific??) information about the topics. Not a priviledge of the US media. Brent Meeker John M > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ 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?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
