[extropy-chat] qualia

[gts]

On Tue, 22 Nov 2005 16:51:40 -0500, Brent Allsop <allsop at extropy.org>  
wrote:

> How does matter have causal properties?  We don't know how - we just know
> that they do.

I think we know a great deal about physics, but we know practically  
nothing about how consciousness arises from inert matter.

> Yes, Chalmers gets very close here.  When he is talking about "any purely
> physical account" he is talking about any cause and effect account
> observable through our cause and effect senses.  He is ignoring the
> possibility that matter also has phenomenal properties which are  
> ineffable to traditional cause and effect observation.

In your view does all matter have these phenomenal properties? And by that  
do you mean all matter is aware? This is pan-psychism -- one way to  
approach the 'hard problem'. Pan-psychism removes the need to explain the  
seemingly magical transformation from inert to aware. All matter is aware,  
and becomes self-aware in higher animals.

> Red is and always will be red.  Certainly the neural correlate that has  
> red will always have the same red in any mind.

I'm not so certain.

Consider taste as another form of qualia. Researchers discovered recently  
that taste buds are not uniform from one person to another. When you and I  
eat from the same lemon and speak of "sour" we may be referring to two  
distinct flavors. I see no reason to think color should be different. More  
to the point, I see no reason to think the neural correlates for red or  
sour should be identical from person to person. They may vary like taste  
buds.

As the saying goes, there is no accounting for taste. :)

> Certainly there is a good chance some people represent 700 nmlight with  
> different phenomenal properties than others.

Yes.

> Then we will know for sure that red, and the same neural correlate that  
> alwaysproduces it for you, is the same for me.  Right?

I'm not convinced, but perhaps a more important question is how your  
hypothesis can be tested. I don't see how A can ever be certain his  
experience is identical to B.

> Will someone hurry and take my bet? ;)  I want to make some money before
> someone finally discovers and realizes the obvious.

I'm game, but you'll need first to think of a way to test it. :)

-gts