[extropy-chat] limits of computer feeling

[Stathis Papaioannou]

On 3/14/07, Rafal Smigrodzki <rafal.smigrodzki at gmail.com> wrote:


> ### But let's consider the economic aspects here: There is likely to
> be a positive correlation between the amount of computing power
> devoted to the acquisition of computational resources and the amount
> of computing power an entity gains. Therefore the entities that use a
> part of their computational resources for bliss will not be able to
> gain resources as quickly as entities that are not so encumbered. They
> may also be unable to resist the loss of computational resources,
> given the likely persistence of scarcity and competition for
> resources.
>
> In other words, they'll first eat your servitor, and if you don't pay
> your electricity bill, they'll eat you too.


This is assuming there is a correlation between computer resources and
potential  for pleasure. I'm not sure it's true that having twice as big a
brain means you can have twice as much pleasure, even if it means you can be
twice as smart. Perhaps within a brain the more neurons that fire in a
particular area, the more intense the sensation, but why should the per
neuron sensation be a particular value? There would have to be some sort of
psychophysical law relating physical activity to sensation if that were the
case.

Secondly, one of the advantages of mind modification is that you can put
limits on your desire for pleasure, or your desire to increase pleasure.
Even drug addicts who have little control over their cravings can do this to
an extent, otherwise they wouldn't live long enough to indulge another day.

Stathis Papaioannou
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