[ExI] Zombies

[Jason Resch]

On Sat, Apr 29, 2023, 5:26 AM Ben Zaiboc via extropy-chat <
extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org> wrote:

> One thing that no-one seems to have noticed, or at least mentioned, in
> these discussions about AI system having or not having consciousness:
> Arguing that highly intelligent systems are not conscious, is basically
> arguing for the existence of philosophical zombies.
>
> And if p-zombies can exist, then this can apply to the biological
> machines as well as the silicon machines.
>
> Just saying.
>

Good point.

>From my discussions with Brent and Gordon, they differ in their views.

Brent says a functional duplicate is impossible to simulate with a Turing
machine (he thinks there is some non computable physics involved like
Penrose), so we don't get to the point of zombies as there is no identical
behavior.

Gordon thinks there could be a (from the outside view) a functionally
identical system, but if it were a digital computer, rather than a living
wet brain, that it would not be conscious and would be a zombie. He is
similar to Searle in this respect, as Searle believes a computer could
simulate a mind but that it would not necessarily be conscious.

In response I raised some compelling reasons why zombies are logically
inconsistent, but I don't think they did much to sway any minds.

Jason

>
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