On 6/10/2016 7:37 AM, John Clark wrote:
On Thu, Jun 9, 2016 Brent Meeker <[email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>>wrote:
>
His
[Bruno's]
consciousness is a certain pattern of computational threads and
these exist eternally (in PA or equivalent). Poisoning his
material merely makes it impossible for his consciousness to be
manifested in this branch of the multiverse.
But WHY? Why does a particular form of matter make it impossible for
his consciousness to exist in that branch of the multiverse if matter
is not needed for consciousness? Bruno has no answer but I do.
As I understand it, each branch of the multiverse is analogous to a
branch in simulation. "Bruno" is just a character, a bundle of
attributes, in each simulation. The simulation includes (simulated)
physics as shared consistent thoughts and perceptions by the simulated
characters. If simulated physics is a that the simulated Bruno in that
branch doesn't function anymore then there are no longer any simulated
Bruno thoughts or consciousness in that branch. But there are in other
branches. And since the theory is that these "simulations" are really
fundamental and "exist" in the mathematical sense, there are infinitely
of them and infinitely many instances of the bundle of attributes Bruno
thinks he is.
I have argued this point with Bruno several times, and when pressed he
agrees that matter is needed for consciousness - just not "fundamental"
matter. Matter is just a hypothetical substance we invent to explain
the consistency of our shared experiences - rather than assume
solipism. It's a very good explanation and it has a long history of
working well, but it's still an hypothesis - while consciousness is a
direct experience.
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 https://groups.google.com/group/everything-list.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
