From: Mike Lorrey (mlorrey@datamann.com)
Date: Sat Jun 09 2001 - 16:49:00 MDT
hal@finney.org wrote:
> I don't have time to respond in detail right now to Lee's message
> on lookup tables and consciousness. I want to make two quick points
> though:
>
> > It is now easy and instructive to visualize such "playback" on
> > a Life Board. Rather than the next generation being actively
> > computed, we may simply have an automatic arm reach into a
> > sequenced table of gels, each with bright spots in fluorescent
> > paint, and place the next gel in sequence on the Life Board.
> > This gives every bit the appearance of a civilization developing,
> > or of an entity having an experience, but in reality has no
> > content. Indeed, the lights are on, but no one is home.
>
> I think this is a good description of the "playback problem" in
> consciousness. As I wrote earlier, I view it as a harder problem than
> the more basic question of whether a computer can be conscious at all.
>
> My first point is that among mainstream philosophers of consciousness,
> the general view is that such a machine would not be conscious.
Unless, of course, they are all working from incorrect assumptions. Instead of
"I think, therefore I am", the base assumption for machines and humans should
be: "I think, therefore I think I am."
Mike Lorrey
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