Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!aplcen!samsung!umich!caen.engin.umich.edu!zarnuk
From: zarnuk@caen.engin.umich.edu (Paul Steven Mccarthy)
Newsgroups: comp.ai
Subject: Re: Simulating thinking is NOT like simulating flying
Keywords: analog, computer, digitial, mind, simulation, thinking
Message-ID: <48c9f211.1a4d7@cicada.engin.umich.edu>
Date: 22 Feb 90 04:40:00 GMT
References: <20206@bcsaic.UUCP> <2053@osc.COM>
Reply-To: zarnuk@caen.UUCP (Paul Steven Mccarthy)
Organization: caen
Lines: 20


 I think the whole debate about "conciousness" is a terrible red-herring.
 What does it really matter if a system displays "conciousness" or not,
 as long as it is capable of performing as required?

 I liken the question of "conciousness" to the question of "life".  Is a
 virus alive?  Pursuit of these questions may be a pleasant distraction,
 but they will never produce anything of value.

 These (fuzzy) terms represent concepts which simply do not 
 exist in reality.  If these terms do not reflect some aspect of
 reality, then there can never be a correct definition for them.

   -- Who cares how the black box works, as long as it works?

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These opinions are obviosly mine unless you share them.

---Paul...