Mind Over Matter?

[Alex K]

I don't disbelieve in the capactiy of a neural network to sustain consciousness.  I disbelieve that there is any function of human behavior that couldn't be replicated as well by a philosophical zombie as by an actually-sentient human being.  If the universe were purely a mechanical one, then there would be nothing but things doing stuff-- no consciousness required.  Therefore, I have to include that the possibility of sentience is intrinsically included in the makeup of the universe: i.e. that it's no less a part of reality than gravity.

And I claim that as soon as you implement these skills  as a neural network (as opposed to a hypothetical collection of prerecorded reactions), there is no such thing as a philosophical Zombie. What you call consciousness is simply what a brain with such skills looks like to itself. You hopelessly overrate how special consciousness is when you make it a fundamental principle of the universe. Or rather, you can declare that, but it makes no discernible difference