[ExI] Wrestling with Embodiment

Natasha Vita-More natasha at natasha.cc
Sat Jan 28 14:10:05 UTC 2012


On 28 January 2012 00:18, Anders Sandberg <anders at aleph.se> wrote:

> On 27/01/2012 13:38, Ben Zaiboc wrote:

>>thought is computation.
>
> How do you *know* this?

Stefano replied:

"I think it is fair to say that thought is computation by definition.
In other words, I am inclined to call "thought"  the computations
performed by organic brains, and not, for instance, the releases of
hormones they may operate.

"Another issue is whether life (or, for that matter, everything) is
computation.

Marguis seemed to think it is, as did La Mettrie (1747), Fedorov
(1828-1903), Finot (1856-1922).

"I think this is simply the perspective dictated by our current
paradigm, same as the ones that used to see the universe as a
mechanical device or the playground of preternatural forces."

Good point.

Natasha




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