[ExI] Semiotics and Computability

[Stathis Papaioannou]

On 14 February 2010 08:02, Jeff Davis <jrd1415 at gmail.com> wrote:

> All the talk of neuron by neuron replacements is fine as far as it
> goes, but Gordon is reasonable in rejecting this -- though I wish he
> would have explained himself better -- based on the principle of
> incompleteness.  Half a thing is not the thing.

But half a thing may still perform the function of the thing.

> The 'body' part is missing.  To faithfully reproduce the
> mind/persona/organism you have to reproduce the whole body, all the
> somatic cells, neural and non, with their particular and varied
> influences on the persona.
>
> At this point I will state, without elaboration, that I have come to
> believe that consciousness arises at the cellular level, and that any
> variant of consciousness in a highly complex multi-cellular organisms
> -- in particular, it's penultimate form in humans, of cognitive
> ability and an awareness self and universe -- arises from a
> combination of somatic and cerebral consciousness.  To make things
> worse -- again without elaboration -- it is difficult for me to avoid
> the further conclusion that the bulk of the phenomenon of
> consciousness comes from the contribution of the somatic cells.  To
> soften this seemingly outrageous assertion -- that the God-like nature
> of man ...
>
> "What a piece of work is a man, how noble in reason, how infinite in
> faculties; in form and moving how express and admirable, in action how
> like an angel, in apprehension how like a god: the beauty of the
> world, the paragon of animals!
>
> ...is more about the influence of gut, bone, blood, and sinew, than
> brain -- let me remind that the mammalian brain with all its glorious
> capability is a relatively recent add-on to the ancient partnership of
> sensory apparatus and the less glamorous support soma.

Then there would be a problem with the consciousness of people who
have lost limbs or various internal organs.


-- 
Stathis Papaioannou