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The_Duck comments on Smart non-reductionists, philosophical vs. engineering mindsets, and religion - Less Wrong Discussion

13 Post author: Kaj_Sotala 04 August 2012 10:48AM

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Comment author: The_Duck 08 August 2012 06:00:54PM 1 point [-]

Love is an experience, and you will not even find a description (to say nothing of an explanation) of an experience, in any sort of physics that we know about, nor in any other discourse that can be reduced to that sort of physics.

If you simulate the standard model of particle physics with appropriate initial conditions, your simulation will include four-limbed beings who will be happy to describe the experience of love to you at great length. (It's true that no one will be able to verify this claim any time soon, but there's every reason to believe it, because the laws underlying the physics of everyday life are completely understood). Doesn't this mean that physics contains a description of the experience of love?