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Philosophical zombies
#1
Philosophical zombies
I often get carried away in thought experiments that are of no practical importance. If that's not of interest to you, best go read something more worthwhile Wink

A philosophical zombie is something that is physically identical to a human in every way, yet has no conscious experience. The lights are on but no one is home. If I am actually plugged into a simulation for example, it would be reasonable to say everyone else could be such zombies, if they are simulated.

In what way is a zombie really different though? This seems to me to be a difference without a distinction. Defining what an "experience" is, seems to be hugely problematic. I have no way of telling, for example, that anyone has any experiences other than me. I ponder the idea of what it even means for me to have an experience.

Consciousness is similarly difficult to pin down, but scientifically I think it's best described as an emergent property of a functioning brain. So to say a zombie has a physical functioning brain but no consciousness seems like a contradiction. I am feeling that the best way I can describe "experiences", even my own, are as pragmatic internal illusions. It seems ridiculous to say my experience is "real" but the exact physical processes of a zombie produces a consciousness that isn't real. The word "real" is so ludicrously hard to define that I've given up formally trying to do so.

I watched the video below, as a guy tries to defeat physicalism. He does so by simply stating zombies don't exist. Other than appealing to popular opinion, I don't know how he came to that conclusion. I'm not impressed or convinced. I think that most people insist there is a difference between us and zombies because they need to feel special, but it's begging the question and appealing to dualism, as far as I can see.



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Messages In This Thread
Philosophical zombies - by robvalue - March 2, 2018 at 3:22 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by Grandizer - March 2, 2018 at 3:35 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by Neo-Scholastic - March 2, 2018 at 10:48 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by robvalue - March 2, 2018 at 3:46 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by BrianSoddingBoru4 - March 2, 2018 at 4:37 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by purplepurpose - March 2, 2018 at 4:56 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by LadyForCamus - March 2, 2018 at 10:03 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by purplepurpose - March 2, 2018 at 10:40 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by polymath257 - March 2, 2018 at 9:13 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by Neo-Scholastic - March 2, 2018 at 10:36 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by polymath257 - March 2, 2018 at 11:38 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by bennyboy - March 3, 2018 at 8:03 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by polymath257 - March 3, 2018 at 9:10 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by LadyForCamus - March 3, 2018 at 9:54 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by The Grand Nudger - March 2, 2018 at 9:30 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by Edwardo Piet - March 2, 2018 at 10:20 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by polymath257 - March 2, 2018 at 11:47 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by rskovride - March 2, 2018 at 10:39 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by robvalue - March 2, 2018 at 11:07 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by rskovride - March 2, 2018 at 11:46 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by Edwardo Piet - March 2, 2018 at 10:48 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by The Grand Nudger - March 2, 2018 at 10:49 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by Edwardo Piet - March 2, 2018 at 10:58 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by Amarok - March 2, 2018 at 11:06 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by Edwardo Piet - March 2, 2018 at 11:13 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by polymath257 - March 2, 2018 at 11:54 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by robvalue - March 2, 2018 at 11:19 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by Edwardo Piet - March 2, 2018 at 11:51 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by Edwardo Piet - March 2, 2018 at 11:54 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by polymath257 - March 2, 2018 at 12:26 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by Edwardo Piet - March 2, 2018 at 12:38 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by polymath257 - March 2, 2018 at 12:47 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by Edwardo Piet - March 2, 2018 at 12:53 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by polymath257 - March 2, 2018 at 1:07 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by Edwardo Piet - March 2, 2018 at 1:14 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by polymath257 - March 2, 2018 at 1:19 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by The Grand Nudger - March 2, 2018 at 12:04 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by Edwardo Piet - March 2, 2018 at 12:18 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by Minimalist - March 2, 2018 at 12:10 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by Edwardo Piet - March 2, 2018 at 1:04 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by Neo-Scholastic - March 2, 2018 at 12:13 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by The Grand Nudger - March 2, 2018 at 12:29 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by Edwardo Piet - March 2, 2018 at 12:45 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by polymath257 - March 2, 2018 at 12:50 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by Edwardo Piet - March 2, 2018 at 12:58 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by The Grand Nudger - March 2, 2018 at 12:42 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by The Grand Nudger - March 2, 2018 at 12:48 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by The Grand Nudger - March 2, 2018 at 12:57 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by The Grand Nudger - March 2, 2018 at 1:03 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by Edwardo Piet - March 2, 2018 at 1:08 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by polymath257 - March 2, 2018 at 1:18 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by Edwardo Piet - March 2, 2018 at 1:27 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by polymath257 - March 2, 2018 at 1:37 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by Edwardo Piet - March 2, 2018 at 1:46 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by polymath257 - March 2, 2018 at 2:11 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by The Grand Nudger - March 2, 2018 at 1:09 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by The Grand Nudger - March 2, 2018 at 1:19 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by The Grand Nudger - March 2, 2018 at 1:29 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by Edwardo Piet - March 2, 2018 at 1:35 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by The Grand Nudger - March 2, 2018 at 2:10 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by Edwardo Piet - March 3, 2018 at 3:54 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by polymath257 - March 3, 2018 at 5:49 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by The Grand Nudger - March 2, 2018 at 2:13 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by robvalue - March 2, 2018 at 2:18 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by The Grand Nudger - March 3, 2018 at 4:05 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by Edwardo Piet - March 3, 2018 at 4:13 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by The Grand Nudger - March 3, 2018 at 5:33 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by Edwardo Piet - March 4, 2018 at 12:16 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by Edwardo Piet - March 4, 2018 at 12:18 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by Angrboda - March 4, 2018 at 3:31 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by LadyForCamus - March 3, 2018 at 5:34 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by The Grand Nudger - March 3, 2018 at 5:37 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by LadyForCamus - March 3, 2018 at 5:46 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by The Grand Nudger - March 3, 2018 at 6:00 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by polymath257 - March 3, 2018 at 6:17 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by The Grand Nudger - March 3, 2018 at 8:42 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by bennyboy - March 4, 2018 at 10:10 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by The Grand Nudger - March 4, 2018 at 12:05 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by LadyForCamus - March 4, 2018 at 12:17 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by Angrboda - March 4, 2018 at 12:18 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by The Grand Nudger - March 4, 2018 at 12:54 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by robvalue - March 4, 2018 at 6:48 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by polymath257 - March 4, 2018 at 10:22 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by WinterHold - March 4, 2018 at 10:07 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by The Grand Nudger - March 4, 2018 at 2:49 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by bennyboy - March 4, 2018 at 6:46 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by The Grand Nudger - March 5, 2018 at 12:05 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by bennyboy - March 5, 2018 at 9:09 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by Amarok - March 5, 2018 at 12:16 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by The Grand Nudger - March 5, 2018 at 12:24 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by robvalue - March 5, 2018 at 2:22 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by WinterHold - March 5, 2018 at 4:30 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by robvalue - March 5, 2018 at 5:43 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by WinterHold - March 5, 2018 at 8:16 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by Foxaèr - March 5, 2018 at 9:11 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by The Grand Nudger - March 5, 2018 at 10:29 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by Edwardo Piet - March 5, 2018 at 11:05 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by polymath257 - March 5, 2018 at 1:15 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by robvalue - March 6, 2018 at 1:47 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by The Grand Nudger - March 5, 2018 at 11:52 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by Edwardo Piet - March 5, 2018 at 8:14 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by Edwardo Piet - March 5, 2018 at 8:18 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by polymath257 - March 5, 2018 at 10:09 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by Neo-Scholastic - March 5, 2018 at 10:58 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by polymath257 - March 6, 2018 at 8:38 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by Edwardo Piet - March 7, 2018 at 2:54 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by polymath257 - March 7, 2018 at 3:58 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by Neo-Scholastic - March 5, 2018 at 12:39 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by RoadRunner79 - March 5, 2018 at 1:56 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by The Grand Nudger - March 5, 2018 at 1:08 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by Amarok - March 5, 2018 at 1:15 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by The Grand Nudger - March 5, 2018 at 1:24 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by Amarok - March 5, 2018 at 1:36 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by bennyboy - March 5, 2018 at 1:52 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by The Grand Nudger - March 6, 2018 at 2:11 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by bennyboy - March 6, 2018 at 5:38 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by polymath257 - March 7, 2018 at 8:57 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by robvalue - March 6, 2018 at 9:02 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by The Grand Nudger - March 6, 2018 at 9:39 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by emjay - March 6, 2018 at 12:22 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by polymath257 - March 6, 2018 at 12:51 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by emjay - March 6, 2018 at 1:08 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by polymath257 - March 6, 2018 at 1:11 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by emjay - March 6, 2018 at 2:06 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by polymath257 - March 6, 2018 at 2:37 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by The Grand Nudger - March 6, 2018 at 4:29 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by emjay - March 6, 2018 at 5:05 pm
RE: Philosophical zombies - by The Grand Nudger - March 7, 2018 at 8:38 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by robvalue - March 7, 2018 at 8:58 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by Foxaèr - March 7, 2018 at 9:02 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by The Grand Nudger - March 7, 2018 at 9:06 am
RE: Philosophical zombies - by robvalue - March 7, 2018 at 10:13 am

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