Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!usc!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!suned1!suned0!lev
From: lev@suned0.nswses.navy.mil (Lloyd E Vancil)
Newsgroups: comp.ai.philosophy
Subject: Re: Consciousness
Message-ID: <5891@suned1.Nswses.Navy.MIL>
Date: 5 Nov 90 16:03:28 GMT
References: <10126@jpl-devvax.JPL.NASA.GOV> <1990Oct27.070636.4144@wam.umd.edu>
Sender: efb@suned1.Nswses.Navy.MIL
Organization: NSWSES, Port Hueneme, CA
Lines: 32

In article <1990Oct27.070636.4144@wam.umd.edu> reh@wam.umd.edu (Richard E. Huddleston) writes:
>If we can't define consciousness (not that I'm so sure of that), we can at
>least study it by it's leavings: memories.  Anything that can _remember_ is
>in some way conscious.  Perhaps the problem with defining consciousness 
>is similar to defining life; it doesn't have just one form or one aspect.

Too simple.  My computer remembers, better than I do, and I'm 99.999% sure it's
not conscious.  I think your second comment was closer to the mark.  Could it
be that what we call consciousness is a continum, a thing that has no boundrys
and is therefore undefinable because it is unknowable in its totality?

I am remineded of the thought experiments proposed by those who are speculating about N demesional space.  Specifically, how would a 2d critter percieve the
intrusion of a 3d critter into 2d space and conversly, how would we, as 3d
critters, preceieve 4d critters intrusion into our space?

In the same sense, could consciousness be the by-product of some other process?
Could consciousness be an "Emergent property" of some other function?  Like the
2d critter that sees a 2d "slice" of a 3d object suddenly "pop" into existance,
could consciousness be a "3d slice" of some more complex function?

I guess "Emergent" would be a missnomer, devolving might be better.

I'm not proposing some mystical solution for the question, it is possible for
us to propose n-demesional critters so why couldn't we understand some more
complex function?

L.
--
      *      suned1!lev@elroy.JPL.Nasa.Gov sun!suntzu!suned1!lev
          .                lev@suned1.nswses.navy.mil        +      . 
    +          *       S.T.A.R.S.! The revolution has begun!   * 
      My employer has no opinions.  These are mine!