[extropy-chat] Consciousness is a process inmulti-dimensionaltime.

[gts]

By the way, Jef, the reason I posted this quote is that it points to the  
same conclusion I have reached: that awareness is not an emergent property  
of matter. Awareness must be "at once" with matter, much like  
containorship is at once with matter in my interpretation of your  
toothpick example.

Unfortunately Johnson uses words like "cogitation" and "thought" here in  
addition to "consciousness," which confuses the issue. I consider thought  
similar to calculation and don't presume basic units of matter have this  
capability. However I think his meaning is that awareness, or what he  
refers to here as consciousness, must be in or at once with matter.

If by thought he means simple awareness then how can we answer his  
question?

"Yet if any part of matter be devoid of thought, what part can we suppose  
to think?"

Seems to me that we cannot entertain the possibility of strong AI without  
first answering Johnson's question. If strong AI is possible - if  
computers will ever be equal to or superior to humans - then ordinary  
inorganic matter must be capable of awareness, consciousness, and the  
experience of qualia.


> "It was never supposed [the poet Imlac said] that cogitation is  in  
> matter, or that every particle is a thinking being. Yet if any part of  
> matter be devoid of thought, what part can we suppose to think? Matter  
> can differ from matter only in form, bulk, density, motion and direction  
> of motion; to which of these, however varied or combined, can  
> consciousness be annexed? To be round or square, to be solid or fluid,  
> to be great or little, to be moved slowly or swiftly one way or another,  
> are modes of material existence, all equally alien from the nature of  
> cognition. If matter be once without thought, it can only be made to  
> think by some new modification, but all the modification which it can  
> admit are equally unconnected with cogitative powers."
>
> Samuel Johnson

-gts