[ExI] The alleged existence of consciousness (was: Semiotics and Computability)

Spencer Campbell lacertilian at gmail.com
Tue Feb 16 20:28:40 UTC 2010


Stefano Vaj <stefano.vaj at gmail.com>:
> Spencer Campbell <lacertilian at gmail.com>:
>> To demand that a person provide a scientific basis for what they
>> themselves consider a scientific fact is the very definition* of
>> reasonableness!
>
> I did not write "unfair", I said "unreasonable". If somebody were to
> tell you "I consider it a fact that Allah exists", would you take his
> at his own word? :-)

I would. I find it completely believable that someone would consider
it a fact that Allah exists, and I have no objections to the phrasing.
I don't agree with them, personally, but I have no reason to call
their belief logically invalid.

The word "unreasonable" means something like "lacking reason", or
"irrational". Of course I had some reason to make my ultimatum,
otherwise I wouldn't have done so, and if I'm being irrational then
I'm not even sane enough to see it.

To insist on correct usage of terminology, when that terminology is
being twisted just to lend false credibility to a statement, seems
perfectly rational to me. I think it was a well-reasoned position, but
you could conceivably convince me otherwise; I can be reasoned with. I
am nothing if not reasonable.

OH WAIT A SMILEY FACE

I didn't need to deliver a stern dissertation at all! Your criticism
was a mere jibe, some harmless japery, all in good fun. Ha ha. Ha.



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