On Nov 30, 2008, at 10:14 AM, Günther Greindl wrote: > I must admit you have completely lost me with MGA 3.
I still find the whole thing easier to grasp when presented in terms of cellular automata. Let's say we have a computer program that starts with a large but finite 2D grid of bits, and then iterates the rules to some CA (Conway's Life, Critters, whatever) on that grid a large but finite number of times, and stores all of the resulting computations in memory, so that we have a 3D block universe in memory. And lets say that the resulting block universe contains patterns that MECH-MAT would say are conscious. If we believe that consciousness supervenes on the physical act of "playing back" the data in our block universe like a movie, then we have a problem. Because before we play back the movie, we can fill any portions of the block universe we want with zeros. So then our played back movie can contain "conscious" creatures who are walking around with (say) zeros where their visual cortexes should be, or their high- level brain functions should be, etc. In other words, we have a fading qualia problem (which we have also called a "partial zombie" problem in these threads). I find the argument compelling as far as it goes. But I'm not convinced that all or most actual, real-world mechanist-materialists believe that consciousness supervenes on the physical act of playing back the stored computations. Bruno indicates that it must, by the logical definitions of MECH and MAT. This just makes me feel like I don't really understand the logical definitions of MECH and MAT. -- Kory --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ 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 -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
