[extropy-chat] Consciousness is a process in multi-dimensional time![Was: Qualia Bet]

Brent Allsop allsop at extropy.org
Wed Dec 14 18:13:14 UTC 2005


 

 

Marc,

 

Interesting idea about physical existence without having any causal
property.

 

Isn't it possible that you could have two physical objects - both a
particular atom or something that can be causally completely
indistinguishable from the other.  But if one atom had a different
"phenomenal" property than the other atom (say one was red and the other
green) this could still not be "causally" detectable in any way.  Yet isn't
it theoretically possible to put these causally identical, phenomenally
different objects in some kind of physical lattice in some kind of brain
that makes the entire system "aware" of the red and green difference?  Since
the system was aware of the difference, it could effect the selection of the
red one (instead of the green one) - even though the difference between the
two items was in no way causally detectable right?

 

As far as your logic below goes it seems just plain dumb.  Just because it
is abstractly possible to hypothesize that more than 3 special dimensions
and more than one time dimension exist - The lack of physical evidence
proves such a theory false or not like reality - or at best uselessly overly
complex than what occam's razor idea will allow.

 

Processes are sequential events - but not necessarily extending into a time
dimension right?  As in the entire sequence could theoretically occur
instantaneously.

 

And even if all this was some how true - what does this have to do with the
phenomenal difference between red and green?

 

Brent

 

 

 (1) Qualia are generated by brain processes

 

(2) Brain processes are enacting algorithms (mathematical patterns) 

 

(3) The algorithm itself (the mathematical pattern) can't exist totally
inside physical reality, because mathematical patterns are abstractions and
many different types of brain processes can enact the same algorithm.  So
the brain processes themselves can't be identical to the mathematical
algorithm

 

(4) An algorithm is a process.   But as demonstrated above, it can't be a
process which is confined to physical reality - since it's an ABSTRACT
process.  Therefore it must be a process taking place at least partially
outside physical reality.   

 

(5) Processes are events along time dimensions.   As demonstrated above,
there are processes at least partially taking place outside physical
reality, in the form of mathematical patterns.  Therefore these processes
must be taking place in multiple time dimensions 

 

Ergo, extra time dimensions exist.   And consciousness is a process taking
place in multi-dimensional time.

 

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