Kingreaper comments on Consciousness of simulations & uploads: a reductio - Less Wrong

1 Post author: simplicio 21 August 2010 08:02PM

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Comment author: Kingreaper 22 August 2010 11:48:32AM *  2 points [-]

Basically, the simulated consciousness was isomorphic to biological consciousness in a similar way to how my shadow is isomorphic to me. Just like the simulation, if I spoke ASL I could get my shadow to claim conscious awareness, but it wouldn't mean much.

The simulation is "all the information you contain (and then possibly some more)" running through an algorithm at least as complex as your own.

The shadow is "a very very small subset of the information about you, none of which is even particularly relevant to consciousness", and isn't being run at all.

So, I would disagree fundamentally with your claim that they are in any way similar.

Comment author: Kingreaper 22 August 2010 11:52:44AM *  1 point [-]

More thought is needed in clarifying the exact difference between saying "consciousness arises from patterns of energy flow in the brain," and "consciousness arises from patterns of graphite on paper." I think there is definitely a big difference, but it's not crystal clear to me in what exactly it consists.

This may be a point of divergence. You're thinking of the brain as active, and the Graphite-Paper-Person simulator as passive.

If you talk about "patterns of energy flow in the brain" the analogous statement for the GPP is "patterns of marking creation/destruction on the paper"

If you talk about "patterns of graphite on paper" the analogous statement for brains is "patterns of electrochemical potential in cells"

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