Neurology

[Div6]

Here is a link to to a talk highlighting the current "state of the art" vis a vis brains, brain wiring and neurology. http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/184


"Self-awareness is the holy grail...". Is it the matter which is self aware, or is it something else?

Of course the I would say it is something else, but that topic is completely omitted from this discussion....

 

[nw2394]

Here is a link to to a talk highlighting the current "state of the art" vis a vis brains, brain wiring and neurology. http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/184


"Self-awareness is the holy grail...". Is it the matter which is self aware, or is it something else?

Of course the I would say it is something else, but that topic is completely omitted from this discussion....

Actually, this talk from the same site had a limited amount to say about self awareness:

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/165

Nick

 

[Div6]

Actually, this talk from the same site had a limited amount to say about self awareness:

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/165

Nick

Interesting. But are they aware of being aware?

 

[nw2394]

Interesting. But are they aware of being aware?

Well, as you've seen the talk, then you already know that the answer is no.

But, if they are aware, being aware of being aware is merely a layer of recursion on top.

The real question is whether the supposed awareness that they had counted as true awareness of any kind. You see, I can program a computer to play a game like Texas Hold 'em really quite well - but no matter how good the program and no matter how well I can make it "suss out" its opponents, it is still only following orders. It can't decide for itself to, for example, say "Bugger my programmer, I prefer to play chess" and then procede to teach itself to do so.

Nick

 

[Div6]

Well, as you've seen the talk, then you already know that the answer is no.

But, if they are aware, being aware of being aware is merely a layer of recursion on top.

The real question is whether the supposed awareness that they had counted as true awareness of any kind. You see, I can program a computer to play a game like Texas Hold 'em really quite well - but no matter how good the program and no matter how well I can make it "suss out" its opponents, it is still only following orders. It can't decide for itself to, for example, say "Bugger my programmer, I prefer to play chess" and then procede to teach itself to do so.

Nick

Which is another way of asking "If a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to observe it..."

Which brings up the technological singularity
When will thetans make the jump from carbon based to silicon based life forms?