[ExI] How not to make a thought experiment

Spencer Campbell lacertilian at gmail.com
Wed Feb 10 21:44:15 UTC 2010


John Clark <jonkc at bellsouth.net>:
> Gordon Swobe <gordon.swobe at yahoo.com>:
>> I believe consciousness evolved because it enhances intelligence.
>
> And in a magnificent demonstration of doublethink Swobe also believes that a
> behavioral demonstration like the Turing test cannot detect consciousness.

This is actually a very good point. I don't have clearly articulated
beliefs regarding the relationship between consciousness and
evolution, myself, but clearly Gordon does.

Two propositions and two conclusions, based on the inferred worldview
of John Clark, to be accepted, rejected, or amended by the reader as
seems appropriate:
P(a): All behavior is measurable.
P(b): Evolution influences behavior and only behavior.
C(c): If and only if consciousness is measurable, it is subject to evolution.
C(d): If consciousness is subject to evolution, it is necessarily measurable.



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