From: Lee Corbin (lcorbin@rawbw.com)
Date: Thu Mar 06 2008 - 21:32:57 MST
Krekoski writes
> > > How do you measure complexity? How many bits are required for consciousness?
>
> [Lee wrote]
>
> > A lot, but we don't know enough yet to put a lower bound on it.
>
> We don't have a clue about consciousness in non-human entities (animals etc)
Oh yes, we do. I suggest the books "Kanzi: The Ape at the Brink of the
Human Mind", or parts of "The First Word" (by Christine Kenneally),
just two that spring to mind of many.
And there are many other books and essays that make extremely reasonable
to surmise that animals are conscious to one degree or another, on any normal
or usual meaning of the term. We ought not to suppose that on one fine day
a hundred thousand years ago consciousness just suddenly appeared.
Also, it's very clear that Helen Keller was conscious while entirely deaf,
blind, and dumb, and before finding a teacher who communicated with her
via touch.
Lee
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