[ExI] Wernicke's aphasia and the CRA.

[Alfio Puglisi]

On Sat, Dec 12, 2009 at 1:52 PM, The Avantguardian <
avantguardian2020 at yahoo.com> wrote:

> ----- Original Message ----
> > From: Stathis Papaioannou <stathisp at gmail.com>
> > To: gordon.swobe at yahoo.com; ExI chat list <
> extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org>
> > Sent: Thu, December 10, 2009 9:10:43 PM
> > Subject: Re: [ExI] Wernicke's aphasia and the CRA.
>
> > No, I mean that if you replace the brain a neuron at a time by
> > electronic analogues that function the same, i.e. same output for same
> > input so that the neurons yet to be replaced respond in the same way,
> > then the resulting brain will not only display the same behaviour but
> > will also have the same consciousness. Searle considers the neural
> > replacement scenario and declares that the brain will behave the same
> > outwardly but will have a different consciousness. The aforementioned
> > paper by Chalmers shows why this is impossible.
>
> I don't think we understand the functioning of neurons enough to buy either
> Searle or Chalmer's argument. Your neuron by neuron brain replacement
> assumes that neurons are functionally degenerate. That one neuron
> is equivalent to any other.


I interpret the replacement as using a different electronic equivalent for
each neuron, so that their specific functions (if any) will be preserved.
Understanding the neurons' inner working is not needed if you can exactly
replace their input/output functions (not an easy feat anyway...) Whether
consciousness resides inside single neurons is another matter. In that case,
inner workings will need to be replicated too.

Searle's arguments remind me of good old-fashioned dualism: there is
something in our brain cells that can't be replicated in a mechanical or
electronic equivalent. But without knowing what this "something" is, that's
just an article of faith.

Alfio
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