[Wittrs] Is Homeostasis the Answer? (Re: Variations in the Idea of Consciousness)
- From: "SWM" <SWMirsky@xxxxxxx>
- To: wittrsamr@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 02 Feb 2010 14:58:23 -0000
A quick reply then:
--- In Wittrs@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "iro3isdx" <xznwrjnk-evca@...> wrote:
>
> --- In Wittrs@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "SWM" <SWMirsky@> wrote:
>
> This is just a quick response on one point. I will probably give a
> more detailed response to the entire post later today or tomorrow.
>
>
> >> The summary term that is used for what is required, is "perception."
> >> Everybody (other than me) seems to want to take perception
> >> for granted, without trying to examine what is required for
> >> perception. Note that I am following J.J Gibson in distinguishing
> >> between perception and sensation. Perception is involved with
> >> getting useful information about the world.
> > Where sensation is that raw material from which the useful
> > information is extracted or constructed then?
> No. Rather it is the useful information that is the "raw material"
> from which sensations are formed. Come to think of it, I perhaps could
> have said "intentional information" instead of "useful information".
>
> Regards,
> Neil
>
> =========================================
Okay, but if the issue is to explain how consciousness comes about and what it
is we mean when we use the term "consciousness" (i.e., certain features
including intentionality, awareness, understanding, intelligence, etc.), then
hasn't some circularity crept in?
If your explanation is that:
homeostasis (yields/leads to) --> pragmatics --> perception --> consciousness
(the features of)
and we presume that "consciousness" includes intentionality
then aren't you suggesting, by a proposal that "perception" = the
receipt/use/shaping of "intentional information", that consciousness must
already be present?
Or should we be taking the "intentional" in "intentional information" in a
different sense? If so, what sense is the right one?
I remain keen to understand your explanation here (and have been since you
first alluded to it back on the AI Philosophy list).
Thanks.
SWM
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