Stathis Papaioannou wrote:
> Brent meeker writes:
>
> > Stathis Papaioannou wrote:
> > >
> > >
> > > Peter Jones writes:
> > >
> > >>> I think it is simpler to go back to your own clones-in-the-next-room example
> > >>> rather than introducing the complication of neurophysiology (or indeed physics).
> > >>> You are informed that your current stream of consciousness is either being
> > >>> generated by
> > >>>
> > >>> (a) a temporal sequence of clones, each of which lives for a second, then is
> > >>> instantly killed, and replaced by the next one in the series a microsecond later
> > >>>
> > >>> or
> > >>>
> > >>> (b) a spatial series of clones, each of which lives for a second, then is instantly
> > >>> killed, such that the whole experiment goes for a second but uses multiple
> > >>> adjacent rooms
> > >>>
> > >>> You have to guess whether you are in experiment (a) or (b). If appropriate care
> > >>> is taken to provide you with no external clues do you think you would be able to
> > >>> guess the right answer with greater than 1/2 probability?
> > >> It's quite possible that neither scenario can support a
> > >> subjective flow of time.
> > >
> > > Here is another thought experiment. You are watching an object moving against a
> > > stationary background at a velocity of 10 m/s. Suddenly, the object seems to instantly
> > > jump 10 metres in the direction of motion, and then continues as before at 10 m/s. You
> > > are informed that one of the following three events has taken place:
> > >
> > > (a) your consciousness was suspended for 1 second, as in an absence seizure;
> > >
> > > (b) you were scanned, annihilated, and a perfect copy created in your place 1 second
> > > later;
> > >
> > > (c) nothing unusual happened to you, but the object you were watching was instantly
> > > teleported 10 metres in the direction of motion.
> > >
> > > Would you be able to guess which of the three events took place?
> > >
> > > Stathis Papaioannou
> >
> > Sure, it was (a). (c) violates the laws of physics. (b) might or might not be theoretically possible, but it's practically impossible.
>
> OK, you would probably be right if you were kidnapped and subjected to this experiment
> tomorrow. But it's a thought experiment, and my point is that from your conscious
> experience alone you would be unable to distinguish between the three cases. Peter Jones'
> posts seem to imply that you would notice a difference.
You have to say that, given a particular theory of consciousness,
would you notice a difference. If physical counterfactuals/causality
is important, you could in cases a) and b), since they
all involve an abnormal causal transition from one OM to
then next. Given computationalism, it is less straightforward.
> Stathis Papaioannou
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Received on Sat Oct 28 2006 - 07:10:26 PDT