[Wittrs] Re: Variations in the Idea of Consciousness
- From: "iro3isdx" <xznwrjnk-evca@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: wittrsamr@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 02 Feb 2010 01:16:44 -0000
--- In Wittrs@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "SWM" <SWMirsky@...> wrote:
> I don't think the transience of the particular constituents particles
> is the key ...
That comment misses the point I was trying to make. My comment was not
about the transience of particles, but about the importance of
processes.
> On that view the issue is not even so much the processes as the
> functions that are performed by them.
I would be careful with that. The primary functions performed by
biochemical processes are biochemical in nature. But perhaps they also
perform a secondary informational processing function. And, in that
case, perhaps it is this secondary informational processing that
matters as far as our interests are concerned.
> Still, I think that Justintruth's formulation as an assembly of
> particles is a useful shorthand for what is intended. If "assembly"
> is taken as the key feature then it wouldn't matter what the
> particles are as long as they can be assembled in the right way
> where the right way will depend on their ability to accomplish the
> requisite functions.
It's not how the particles are assembled that matters, it is the
processes being carried out.
Our intuition is that particles are not aware, and thus that an
assemblage of particles is not aware. Insisting on ascribing awareness
to an assembly of particles feeds mysticism. I don't think we have the
same sort of intuition about processes, so I think that the idea of
processes experiencing is less of a mystery.
> ... and that you favor a view of consciousness that ties it rather
> tightly to organic forms of life while I, of course, do not.
Actually, that is wrong. We see organic forms of life, but I treat
that as a mere implementation detail. My interest is in the underlying
principles. I am not committed to only organic solutions.
Regards,
Neil
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