Re: consciousness based on information or computation?

From: Wei Dai <weidai.domain.name.hidden>
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1999 16:48:35 -0800

On Wed, Jan 27, 1999 at 10:26:28AM -0800, hal.domain.name.hidden wrote:
> I find it hard to accept the premise that "I" am a random selection from
> among all possible conscious/intelligent entities.

Why do you find it hard to accept? Of course you can choose not to accept
it, but then you lose a very important advantage of the "everything"
theories, which is an explaination of why our experiences are so simple
and regular, as opposed to random and arbitrary. How would you explain
this fact without the above premise?

> In this way I do not try to draw conclusions about the likelihood or
> longevity or measure of other consciousnesses than the one I am now
> experiencing. I don't conclude that the human race is doomed, or that
> I won't live forever, or that few aliens exist. These conclusions are
> very questionable, in my opinion.

Me too, but I think the problem is in the arguments, not in the premise.
If you care to exhibit such an argument, I'll try to point out the error.
Received on Wed Jan 27 1999 - 16:54:30 PST