On Sun, Sep 24, 2006 at 12:11:54PM -0400, jamikes.domain.name.hidden wrote:
> In my narrative for a substitute Big Bang I called the originating
> zero-info-'object' Plenitude, as I realize from your words (thank you) it is
> close to the Old Greek Chaos. In that narrative Universes occur by
> 'differentiating - selecting something from that "nothing"
> (RSt). Information, observables. I had to give in to critics about the 'zero
> information' because it was said that "having no information emanating from
> it" IS information. Also my claims on infinite symmetry - dynamic invariance
> and what you say 'the set of all strings' (I called it an unlimited content
> of everything) was deemed 'information'. I defended my position by saying
> that I want to state as little about this unattainable 'object' as possible,
> it is only a starting point with more common sense relevance than the
> quantum science related expressionS applied in the narratives of the
> physical cosmology.
Then I would say those critics do not understand information
theory. Actually, it is possible, of course, that it is I who
misunderstand information theory, but at the risk of seeming arrogant
"know it all", I would bet on it being the critics, as I've seen a
huge amount of confusion on this subject in the literature.
>
> A silly question:
> you wrote: >Any person's experience is
> >obtained by differentiating - selecting
> >something from that "nothing".
> What makes 'that nothing' available to "persons"? is it not also available
> to a computer? in which case computers may have unlimited consciousness
> (whatever we call under that name).
>
>
> John M
>
Just because computers, or thermometers, or any measure device really
can differentiate between outcomes does not make them conscious. The
argument flows the other way - being conscious necessarily means one
can differentiate outcomes, whatever else consciousness may be about.
--
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A/Prof Russell Standish Phone 0425 253119 (mobile)
Mathematics
UNSW SYDNEY 2052 R.Standish.domain.name.hidden
Australia http://parallel.hpc.unsw.edu.au/rks
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Received on Sun Sep 24 2006 - 21:56:23 PDT