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Perplexed comments on The Irrationality Game - Less Wrong
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You pretty much have to go with "yes" if you want to claim that "consciousness/self-awareness is just a meaningless side-effect of brain processes." I've got to disagree. What my introspection calls my "consciousness" is mostly listening to myself talk to myself. And then after I have practiced saying it to myself, I may go on to say it out loud.
Not all of my speech works this way, but some does. And almost all of my writing, including this note. So I have to disagree that consciousness has no causal role in my behavior. Sometimes I act with "malice aforethought". Or at least I sometimes speak that way.
For these reasons, I prefer "spotlight" consciousness theories, like "global workspace" or "integrated information theory". Theories that capture the fact that we observe some things consciously and do some things consciously.
Agreed, but that tells you consciousness requires language. That doesn't tell you language requires consciousness. Drugs such as alcohol or Ambien can cause people to have conversations and engage in other activities while unconscious.