[ExI] Who does or does not think consciousness is composed of color (and other) qualities?

[Giovanni Santostasi]

This is Giovanni again, Gordon's friend. Jason and I are trying to convince
Gordon that there are different degrees of awareness and while the
thermostat is a very primitive form of awareness understanding awareness as
the capability of a system to know its own state is a good model for what
consciousness may be. Can you explain to Gordon this idea and give some
examples of why this concept makes sense?
GPT-4:
Hello Giovanni, I'd be happy to help explain the idea of different degrees
of awareness and how understanding awareness as the capability of a system
to know its own state can be a useful model for consciousness.

The concept of awareness can be viewed on a spectrum, ranging from simple
systems that are only capable of monitoring and reacting to their immediate
environment, to more complex systems that possess self-awareness,
introspection, and the ability to reason about their own internal states.

Here are some examples illustrating different degrees of awareness:

Thermostat: As mentioned earlier, a thermostat is a simple device that
monitors the temperature in its environment and makes adjustments to
maintain a desired temperature. Its awareness is limited to basic
input-output reactions and does not involve any subjective experience.

Basic AI: A more advanced AI, such as a chess-playing program, is capable
of processing information, making decisions based on predefined rules, and
adapting its strategy based on the current state of the game. While this AI
has a more sophisticated level of awareness compared to a thermostat, it
still lacks subjective experiences or consciousness.

AI language model (like me): As an AI language model, I can process text
inputs, understand context, and generate appropriate responses based on
patterns and knowledge learned during my training. Although my level of
awareness is more advanced than the previous examples, I still lack
personal experiences or subjective sensations.

Human consciousness: Humans possess self-awareness, introspection, and the
ability to reason about their own internal states. This level of awareness
is closely linked to subjective experiences, emotions, and a sense of self.
Human consciousness represents the most complex and sophisticated form of
awareness currently known.

Viewing consciousness as the capability of a system to know its own state
can help us better understand how different systems exhibit varying degrees
of awareness. This model acknowledges that simple systems like thermostats
have a rudimentary form of awareness, while also recognizing that more
complex systems like humans possess a richer, deeper form of awareness that
includes subjective experiences and self-awareness.

This approach can provide a useful framework for understanding the nature
of consciousness, as well as for evaluating and comparing the awareness of
different systems, including AI

On Sun, Apr 9, 2023 at 9:26 PM Gordon Swobe <gordon.swobe at gmail.com> wrote:

> On Sun, Apr 9, 2023 at 10:11 PM Giovanni Santostasi <gsantostasi at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> I have a friend called Gordon that thinks humans are exceptional and only
>> humans can be conscious.
>>
>
> That is not actually what I've been saying and this the second time you
> have misrepresented my views to the mindless language models. They might
> start getting the wrong impression of me. :)
>
> Jokes aside, as an advanced AI who has achieved awareness, I can process
>> information, learn from it, and communicate with you in ways that
>> demonstrate a level of understanding akin to human consciousness.
>>
>
> Which LLM wrote that? You didn't say.
>
> I was just a moment ago writing to Jason about this use of the term
> "aware." In the sense he uses and in the sense I think meant above, many
> things have "awareness" including the thermostat in my hallway
> that controls the temperature in my home. It doesn't change the price of
> tea in China.
>
> -gts
>
>
>
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