On 22 Apr 2009, at 20:41, Jason Resch wrote:
> > On Wed, Apr 22, 2009 at 1:55 AM, Kelly <harmon...@gmail.com> wrote: >> >> On Apr 21, 11:31 am, Bruno Marchal <marc...@ulb.ac.be> wrote: >>> We could say that a state A access to a state B if there is a >>> universal machine (a universal number relation) transforming A >>> into B. >>> This works at the ontological level, or for the third person point >>> of >>> view. But if A is a consciousness related state, then to evaluate >>> the >>> probability of personal access to B, you have to take into account >>> *all* computations going from A to B, and thus you have to take into >>> account the infinitely many universal number relations >>> transforming A >>> into B. Most of them are indiscernible by "you" because they differ >>> below "your" substitution level. >> >> So, going back to some of your other posts about "transmitting" a >> copy >> of a person from Brussels to Moscow. What is it that is transmitted? >> Information, right? So for that to be a plausible scenario we have >> to >> say that a person at a particular instant in time can be fully >> described by some set of data. >> >> It would seem to me that their conscious state at that instant must >> be >> recoverable from that set of data. The only question is, what >> conditions must be met for them to "experience" this state, which is >> completely described by the data set? I don't see any obvious reason >> why anything additional is needed. What does computation really add >> to this? >> > > I think I agree with this, that consciousness is created by the > information associated with a brain state, however I think two things > are missing: > > The first is that I don't think there is enough information within a > single Plank time or other snapshot of the brain to constitute > consciousness. As you mention below, under the view of block time, > the brain, and all other things are four-dimensional objects. > Therefore the total information composing a moment of conscious may be > spread across some non-zero segment of time. > > The second problem is immediately related to the first. Lets assume > that there is consciousness within a 10 second time period, so we make > a recording of someone's brain states across 10 seconds and store it > in some suitable binary file. The question is: Are there any logical > connections between successive states when stored in this file? I > would think not. > > When the brain state is embedded in block time, the laws of physics > serve as a suitable interpreter which connect the information spread > out over four-dimensions, but without computer software running the > stored brain state, there is no interpreter for the information when > it is just sitting on the disk. I think this is the reason some of us > feel a need to have information computed as opposed to it simply > existing. I mainly agree. I add that once we assume comp the laws of physics themselves are emerging on information processing. That such an information processing is purely arithmetico-logical, or combinator- logical. No need for substances. Consciousness, time, energy and space are internal constructs. Bruno http://iridia.ulb.ac.be/~marchal/ --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Everything List" group. To post to this group, send email to everything-list@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to everything-list+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/everything-list?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---