[ExI] Theoretical Breakthrough? Was Re: Do digital computers feel?

[Stathis Papaioannou]

On 23 February 2017 at 10:05, Brent Allsop <brent.allsop at gmail.com> wrote:

You seem to think that because the *Observable behaviour* (or the output of
> the system?) is the same, the qualitative state must be this same.  But do
> you not see how in one of the steps of the neuro substitution, the system
> qualitatively inverts, (as can be proven in the objective way that I've
> described many times) and the qualitative definition of "red" for the
> system switches from redness to greenness?  And despite this change, the
> output will still be the same giving the same "red is the same as red."?
>

And here is the problem! The *observable behaviour* stays the same as the
result of the neural substitution but the qualia change. Instead of red
strawberries the subject starts seeing green strawberries; or perhaps not
strawberries at all, but a terrifying fire-breathing dragon. This becomes
even more terrifying because, even though he tries to scream out that this
is a nightmare, his mouth makes the following calm-sounding noises (quoting
John Clark):

*"I feel exactly the same, and if you really have made a change of some
sort in the internal operation of my neurons as you claim to have made then
those changes have produce no difference that I am conscious of."*


-- 
Stathis Papaioannou
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