--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "PaliGap" <compost...@...> wrote:
>
>
>
> --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "coulsong2001" <geoff@> wrote:
>
> > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "PaliGap" <compost1uk@> wrote:
> > ...
> >
> > > I don't think the Turing test helps. Barry may look
> > > and act in a way that is indistinguishable from a
> > > regular human being - but the question of whether
> > > there IS such a thing as "being Barry" is a fact about
> > > the world (either true or false) regardless of whether
> > > or not anyone can possibly tell.
> >
> > This is often referred to as the 'zombie' problem. I've just read a book by
> > Susan Blackmore called 'Conversations on Consciousness' (just google it) in
> > which Blackmore interviews a whole bunch of top consciousness researchers.
> > She asks all of them if they think zombies could exist - i.e. she asks if
> > there were a robot that could behave indistinguishably from a person do
> > they think the robot would necessarily be conscious, or would there be
> > "nothing that it was like to be it".
> >
> > The interviewees give a fascinating range of answers to this question (+
> > other ones). I'd strongly recommend the book.
> >
> > Geoff
> >
>
> Sounds good Geoff.
>
> Am currently reading her "10 Zen Questions". Brilliant in
> some ways.
>
> OTH I can't quite *get* some of the ways she sees some
> things.
>
> Early on she discusses trying to ask yourself the question
> "Am I conscious now?". When you ask yourself that question,
> she says, it feels as though you just suddenly "wake up".
>
> Mmm... is that right?
>
> Seems to me you're lost in something (e.g. typing a post),
> then you ask her magic question, and...
>
> You're just focussed on something else!
>
> (The crazy coot describes how she has all sorts of
> post-it notes with the magic question stuck everywhere
> - on her fridge, in the car, whatever).
>
> "Am I conscious now?"
>
> "Am I conscious now?"
Ah, I've just bought that book! Looking forward to reading it.
On the "Am I conscious now?" question, I came across that on Blackmore's
website, and when I try it I have pretty much the same reaction as you. I ask
myself "Am I conscious now?" and I find myself looking around, a bit like
Michael Palin doing the shifty eyes thing, but no particular experience of
"waking up".
Geoff
