[quote='Gae Bolga' pid='1874622' dateline='1546528559']
If we wish to posit a robot that convincingly acts like us, what follows is not that we can;t prove consciousness, but that we must allow for at least some sort of rudimentary experience in their case. That they have an internal world. Maybe not an internal world exactly as ours is, but an internal world by any rational description nonetheless. We already posit this in the case of other creatures that act this or that way...and, to be blunt, it's highly unlikely that my internal experience is exactly like yours anyway. There's disparity between our prime subjects, even.
[quote]
The problem is one we've talked about many times-- it depends what ABOUT the brain, specifically, allows for consciousness. If it's the ability to form an internal representation of external states, process them, and act on them, then I'm not so sure that a robot wouldn't be conscious, pretty much as I am.
If it's something specific to certain kinds of chemistry, then that might not be the case.
If we wish to posit a robot that convincingly acts like us, what follows is not that we can;t prove consciousness, but that we must allow for at least some sort of rudimentary experience in their case. That they have an internal world. Maybe not an internal world exactly as ours is, but an internal world by any rational description nonetheless. We already posit this in the case of other creatures that act this or that way...and, to be blunt, it's highly unlikely that my internal experience is exactly like yours anyway. There's disparity between our prime subjects, even.
[quote]
The problem is one we've talked about many times-- it depends what ABOUT the brain, specifically, allows for consciousness. If it's the ability to form an internal representation of external states, process them, and act on them, then I'm not so sure that a robot wouldn't be conscious, pretty much as I am.
If it's something specific to certain kinds of chemistry, then that might not be the case.
