[extropy-chat] against ID

Brent Allsop allsop at extropy.org
Mon Nov 21 19:07:57 UTC 2005



I don't believe in the simulation argument for two reasons.

1. Our consciousness is made up of qualia or phenomenal properties.  While
these can be simulated or modeled by other abstract phenomena - the
simulations isn't like the real thing.  We could be brains in vats, and the
rest of the world being simulated.  But the brain, or whatever is producing
these phenomenal properties in our consciousness cannot be simulated.  They
are the real thing.

2. I believe and hope that any being powerful enough to "design" any such
system would also, via logic, be a moral/benevolent being.  In other words,
they would never produce so much suffering and ignorance as we experience
for any reason because such would be immoral.  I have confidence that
whatever they would be trying to accomplish with such a simulation, could be
accomplished without so much phenomenal/conscious suffering.  In other
words, the existence of evil is the proof that God or any intelligent
designer does not YET exist.  At least I hope such is true and I would be
willing to bet my eternal life (risk going to hell for eternity because I do
not believe in God...) on it.

Brent Allsop


> -----Original Message-----
> From: extropy-chat-bounces at lists.extropy.org [mailto:extropy-chat-
> bounces at lists.extropy.org] On Behalf Of Eugen Leitl
> Sent: Saturday, November 19, 2005 1:20 PM
> To: ExI chat list
> Subject: Re: [extropy-chat] against ID
> 
> On Sat, Nov 19, 2005 at 02:03:22PM -0500, Harvey Newstrom wrote:
> 
> > But many transhumanists do believe in ID in the guise of the
> > Simulation Argument.
> 
> Not this transhumanist.
> 
> Can we see a show of hands? Who of you here actually believes in
> SA in a strong sense? I.e., would you be willing to bet your life
> on it?
> 
> --
> Eugen* Leitl <a href="http://leitl.org">leitl</a>
> ______________________________________________________________
> ICBM: 48.07100, 11.36820            http://www.leitl.org
> 8B29F6BE: 099D 78BA 2FD3 B014 B08A  7779 75B0 2443 8B29 F6BE




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