On Thu, Sep 25, 2014 at 9:07 PM, meekerdb <[email protected]> wrote:
> On 9/25/2014 10:09 AM, John Clark wrote: > > On Wed, Sep 24, 2014 at 10:05 PM, meekerdb <[email protected]> wrote: > >> >> Evolution is only interested in intelligent behavior because only >>> that and not consciousness helps get genes into the next generation. So how >>> did consciousness manage to produce at least one being (me) that's >>> conscious? There are only 2 possibilities: >>> >>> 1) Perhaps consciousness aids in producing intelligent behavior. If >>> this is true then it would be easier to make a intelligent computer that >>> was conscious than to make a Intelligent computer that was not >>> conscious. It would also mean that the Turing Test is not only a test >>> for intelligence but was also a good (although not infallible) test for >>> consciousness too. >>> >>> 2) The only way to produce intelligent behavior is to process >>> information, and perhaps it's just a brute fact that consciousness is >>> how information feels when it's being processed. >>> In my opinion #2 is more likely than #1 but if Darwin was right then one >>> of the two must be true, But either way consciousness must be a biological >>> spandrel, and if you ever run across a smart computer you can conclude that >>> it's probably conscious too. >>> >> >> > I think #1 is more likely, so long as we identify consciousness with >> what we experience >> > > I don't know why you say "we", there is only one being you know to be > conscious without even the smallest doubt. And things happen even to rocks, > is this what you mean by "experience"? > > > You should read at least to the end of the sentence before asking what it > means. > > > >> > imaging, inner narrative, language (does anybody here think they >> could formulate and understand Lob's theorem without language?). >> > > But does use of language imply consciousness? > > > No, but I think it is necessary to much of my consciousness, i.e. without > it I would have a different and diminished consciousness. > > If so then Watson is conscious, after all the only way we have of > knowing if somebody understands something is to ask them questions about it > and see if they give satisfactory answers. > > > Sure, I think Watson is conscious, but not as conscious as I am. For > example I don't think Watson could pass the usual test I get when I crash > my motorcycle: How many fingers do you see? > So a blind person is less conscious than you? Telmo. > > So what's your view of the all-or-nothing vs degrees-of-consciousness? > > Brent > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Everything List" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/everything-list. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Everything List" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/everything-list. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
