[ExI] Meaningless Symbols

[Stefano Vaj]

2010/1/17 Stathis Papaioannou <stathisp at gmail.com>:
> I assume when people say that they don't really mean what it sounds
> like, but rather they mean that consciousness is just an epiphenomenon
> or necessary side-effect of intelligent behaviour.

No. A side-effect is something which exists per se.

"Consciousness" is simply a description and/or "interpretation" of a
set of phenomena - i.e., "outputs", behavioural or otherwise - which
does not really refer to anything materially added to, or distinct
from, such set.

Any such distinction proves indeed elusive for its partisans, and
immediately leads to paradoxes without being required for any sensible
epistemological purpose.

-- 
Stefano Vaj