From: Jacob Costello (abbot@alecto.physics.uiuc.edu)
Date: Sat Dec 07 1996 - 20:12:38 MST
>
>
> > What's the difference between computational and platonic?
> Would you agree to the statement: "All computations are equally
> existent regardless of any physical implementation?"
I've wondered about this. Suppose consciousness arises from
information dynamics at some level, from time evolving patterns (as most of
the people on this list probably believe.) To get the intuition pump going,
get rid of the "dynamics" by not regarding time as particularly special.
Then consciousness arises from patterns in space-time. One might ask just
what "#is# the difference between "real" patterns and "possible" patterns as
far as whether there is conscious experience attached. Maybe all possible
conscious experiences in all logically consistent realities are experienced.
(No, I don't really believe that.)
It seems to me that in the course trying to explain how conscious
experience arises from brain activity we will run into this question from one
angle or another.
> --
> sentience@pobox.com Eliezer S. Yudkowsky
> http://tezcat.com/~eliezer/singularity.html
> http://tezcat.com/~eliezer/algernon.html
> Disclaimer: Unless otherwise specified, I'm not telling you
> everything I know.
>
>
jake costello
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