[extropy-chat] Qualia Bet.

[gts]

On Thu, 24 Nov 2005 11:56:28 -0500, Jef Allbright <jef at jefallbright.net>  
wrote:

> What could you possibly mean by saying that you think flies don't
> experience the world but do experience qualia?

That's not what I wrote, Jef. I think flies *do* experience the world,  
that flies *do* experience qualia.  Presumably flies can see. They have  
eyes to see, after all.

But I doubt flies have an ability to reflect consciously on themselves and  
their experiences. I doubt flies ask themselves "What is that I saw?"  
Their supposed mental processes and models are just blind instinct,  
probably simple rules that could in principle be programmed into a  
microchip.

If I'm right then how is a fly different in any important way from a  
camera?

If there is no real difference then why not say all matter is aware,  
though not necessarily self-aware? i.e, that pan-psychism is true? It is  
then a simple step to understanding more advanced awareness and  
self-awareness. Self-awareness would be a case of aware matter becoming  
aware of itself. No need for the dualistic ghost in the machine.

> I must admit that I have a hard time even keeping a placeholder in my
> mind for the concept of qualia.

Hold a piece of red paper in front of your eyes. Close your eyes, then  
open them. The difference in your experience upon opening your eyes is the  
red quale.

  -gts