On 2/13/2012 10:39 AM, Craig Weinberg wrote:
On Feb 13, 12:29 pm, meekerdb<[email protected]> wrote:
I'm aware of that. It doesn't follow though that you must match every
interaction (e.g.
cross-section for cosmic gamma rays) or that every match is equally important.
I've
already speculated that a silicon based substitute might produce subtle or
occasional
differences in conscious thoughts. Craig however denies that a silicon based
brain can be
conscious at all.
No, I think that silicon is already 'conscious', only to a very
limited extent (detection-reaction). My view is that it cannot be
scaled up mechanically to become human consciousness. If you can make
a silicon based cell that lives and breathes,
What does "live and breathes" mean? A silicon based neuron wouldn't reproduce...but
neither do biological neurons. A biological neuron metabolizes...but so would a silicon
based neuron. So you're just speculating that there are some essential functions of
biological based neurons that can't be realized by silicon based neurons.
then we very well might
be able to make a conscious brain out of that...but we probably won't
be able to control it any better than we can control an animal.
Our definition of consciousness is entirely human. If we talk about
something being conscious, we are really talking about it being human.
That's begging the question.
All I'm saying is that we cannot discount the possibility that there
is a good reason why humans are only made of DNA and not sand.
You've been asserting that it's the case...not just cautioning about possibilities. So
let's hear one of those 'good reasons'; one that is not just a speculative possibility.
Brent
--
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.
