[ExI] Semiotics and Computability

[Christopher Luebcke]

> > Could one detect or measure consciousness on the basis of "behaviors and 
> > reports of subjective experiences" alone, without direct anatomical
> > knowledge of a "brain and nervous system"?
> 
> No, I don't think so. Under those circumstances we could only speculate.

I don't see how adding a knowledge of anatomy moves our position from speculation to certainty. 

> > Conversely, does a system with a "brain and nervous system"
> > necessarily have consciousness, even in the absence of
> > "behaviors and reports of subjective experience"?
> 
> If you have a brain and a nervous system but exhibit no associated behaviors 
> then it seems to me that you have some serious neurologoical issues. 

Doubtless, but you didn't answer the question.

> What about you, Chris? Do you have a physical brain capable of having conscious 
> thoughts?

I would prefer not to partake in rhetorical questions; life's too short. I suspect you have a point primed and ready to fire for the answer that I'm bound to give to such a question, and it would save time if you simply made it. 

For the record, I am not interested in detecting consciousness in myself, but in other systems.


----- Original Message ----
> From: Gordon Swobe <gts_2000 at yahoo.com>
> To: ExI chat list <extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org>
> Sent: Wed, February 17, 2010 3:16:48 PM
> Subject: Re: [ExI] Semiotics and Computability
> 
> --- On Wed, 2/17/10, Christopher Luebcke wrote:
> 
> > Could one detect or measure consciousness on the basis of "behaviors and 
> > reports of subjective experiences" alone, without direct anatomical
> > knowledge of a "brain and nervous system"?
> 
> No, I don't think so. Under those circumstances we could only speculate.
> 
> > Conversely, does a system with a "brain and nervous system"
> > necessarily have consciousness, even in the absence of
> > "behaviors and reports of subjective experience"?
> 
> If you have a brain and a nervous system but exhibit no associated behaviors 
> then it seems to me that you have some serious neurologoical issues. 
> 
> What about you, Chris? Do you have a physical brain capable of having conscious 
> thoughts?
> 
> -gts
> 
> 
>       
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