[ExI] The symbol grounding problem in strong AI

[Gordon Swobe]

--- On Thu, 12/31/09, Stathis Papaioannou <stathisp at gmail.com> wrote:

> rigorous argument presented before, which showed that
> whatever the mind is, if the function of the device generating it 
> is reproduced then the mind is also reproduced. You did not come up 
> with a rebuttal, other than to put forward your feeling that some 
> magic would happen to stop it being true.

I stated twice during your presentation of your argument that you were speaking of a logical contradiction. I played along anyway, and from this you apparently got the idea that you had somehow presented an argument that I would find convincing.

I'll put an experiment to you, and you tell me what the answer should be:

"Please imagine that your brain exists as partly real and partly as an abstract formal description of its former reality, and then report your imagined subjective experience." 

I hope can appreciate how any reasonable person would consider that question incoherent and even ludicrous. I hope you can also see that from my point of view, you asked me that same question.

-gts