Re: ZOMBIE: Now

From: John Clark (jonkc@worldnet.att.net)
Date: Mon Dec 20 1999 - 14:27:05 MST


Dan Fabulich <daniel.fabulich@yale.edu> Wrote:

>>Me:
>>Sensation is not an idea

>Uhm. What IS it, then, if not an idea?

For me to tell you what sensation is I'd have to explain what the parts of it are,
but I can't do that because nothing is more fundamental. Sensation is the
atom of our existence, it's the building blocks of ideas.

>Do you *assume* that consciousness is perfectly correlated with intelligence

Yes.

>or do hold that consciousness just IS intelligence by definition

No.

>just as heat just IS the bouncing of molecules, by definition

You are unclear, the definition of heat is bouncing molecules and
bouncing molecules is also perfectly correlated with heat . And I have
no definition of intelligence or of consciousness, only examples.

>>Me:
>> Oh that's easy. I feel that way because that's the way my brain is wired.

>That wasn't *precisely* the level of explanation I was looking for.

I don't understand, you were not asking about the universe, you were asking
about me, in particular a preference of mine, what other answer could I give?

> Suppose for a moment that you're a rational agent. Why, if so, do/would
> you CHOOSE to care about consciousness?

I can say with complete confidence that my concern for consciousness and
dislike of death has a cause OR it does not. If it does not then it's random
and noting more needs to be said. If it does then it's because that's the way
my brain is wired and nothing more needs to be said.

                  John K Clark jonkc@att.net



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