[ExI] consciousness and perception

[John K Clark]

"The Avantguardian" <avantguardian2020 at yahoo.com>

> If something did not percieve qualia, then it would be unable to make
> decisions based on those qualia.

Exactly true! If it were not true evolution could never have produce qualia;
but here we are, qualia producing beings. Or to be precise here I am. Random
mutation and natural selection managed to produce at least one conscious
being. Probably more.

And the fact that qualia effects behavior is why the Turing Test works most
of the time.

> Statistically it is a near certainty that the light produces a subjective
> experience.

Statistics implies being able to come up with a number and I can't do that.
All I know is that I couldn't function if I believed I was the only
conscious being in the universe and I think we'll see a perpetual motion
machine before we see a zombie that behaves intelligently.

> I don't think a mole of you would behave quite as you expect however

Certainly true, as soon as the copies were made the 2 would start to receive
different inputs and thus very soon diverge into 2 separate individuals; but
they would both have an equal right to claim to be the John K Clark of
January 26 2009.

> A few of you might even try to express their individuality  by dying their
> hair purple, body piercings

Any reason to suppose I don't have purple hair, multiple body piercing, and
a tattoo of a Feynman diagram on my chest right now?

 John K Clark