On 6/27/2011 9:59 AM, Bruno Marchal wrote:
On 26 Jun 2011, at 01:09, meekerdb wrote:
On 6/25/2011 1:07 PM, Bruno Marchal wrote:
But a consequence is that a universal machine consciousness cannot
sleep, making consciousness some sort of absolute invariant. I think
Descartes got a similar idea, with other people. Now, we have to
explain why we wake up in the morning with a feeling of having been
unconscious, or having been conscious in some hazy way. Yes, that's
true and need an explanation.
And a possible explanation is that the brain systematically makes us
amnesic experience, discard information, well: its main work
consists to hide and destroy information.
I think long-term memories are formed during sleep,
That is plausible, and coherent with Hobson theory of dreams. But the
functions of sleep and dream are still much debated. I know that the
hyppocampus, when lacking or disfunctionning, can lead to an inability
of building long term memories (like in the Nolan's movie "memento").
though perhaps during dreaming rather than periods of
unconsciousness. Of course it's questionable whether one is ever
really unconscious during sleep; almost everyone will instantly
awaken if you whisper their name to them while asleep.
As an argument it should be developped. Many could object that there
might be an instinctive "program", non necessitating consciousness,
but having the ability to recognize your name, and then ... awake
consciousness (or, as I think shift the attention and generate amnesia).
Sure. But it would still imply degrees or kinds of consciousness:
perception, awareness, self-awareness, reflection,....
BTW, we should merchandise whispering-name clocks! That might work
better than usual clocks. A friend of mine needs a so much tonitruous
(loud!) clock that each morning he awakes everyone in the neighborhood
except himself :)
Good idea. I'll credit you on the patent.
Brent
Bruno
http://iridia.ulb.ac.be/~marchal/
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