Daemon

Does the theory ever address the question of what constitutes a "distinct" mechanism (without a human being making the call)? Without that, the theory...

Can I just say how much I'm enjoying the discussion @"Frank", I really appreciate you posting the summaries and will wait patiently until more arrives...

It's not entirely isolated though. The blood brain barrier is a filter isn't it, not a seal.

Well, here's @"Pop" from @"Frank"'s interesting discussion about IIT: If you ask @"Pop" to explain anything, the response is "it's information". He's ...

I still owe most of my knowledge of IIT to you, but from what I understand, the purpose is to quantify what is required to achieve consciousness. But ...

You do see people saying "everything is information" or "everything is energy". That's the sort of theory that explains nothing.

We can identify it in an abstract sense, but not in a practical sense, as we can with a manmade machine. We have "brainoids" now, grown from adult hum...

There's a point here which I haven't yet properly expressed or thought through (which makes it interesting, to me anyway). When the hospital takes ove...

Consciousness may not require a liver, let's say a lobster is conscious and doesn't have a liver, but the lobster or human does need to have the equip...

I think the whole thing is scientifically naive. I was thinking about parts of the body that don't participate in consciousness, I thought of hair. Bu...

But there's no consciousness associated with your liver, I still maintain that the relevant system is the entire body. The brain is not modular like a...

I only know what you've written here about IIT. I'm not at all sure what it is a theory of. Is it to be implemented on a digital computer? You mention...

But the relevant "system" is the whole body. As well as the neurons there is a blood supply, the biochemical bath the neurons are immersed in, the spi...

What interests me is what constitutes a "system". How is the boundary between the "inside" and the "outside" of the system established?

You can treat a neuron as a logic gate, but that's not what it is. Here are some reasons why not, taken from various sections of The Idea of the Brain...

I know this one, ask me sir!!

I cherish Mrs Daemon, QED.

This is enjoyable, thank you Frank. Off to beddybyes now.

I'm interested to see the axioms.

Pluralism (philosophy) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Pluralism is a term used in philosophy, meaning "doctrine of multiplicity," often used in...

Well no doubt themes and ideas will emerge, but will they be good ideas? What will you get out of it? All I see is verbiage.

So the answer doesn't matter. That's what I think too.

What is it you want to know when you ask "what are we?". What would be a satisfactory answer? How would you know you were getting nearer the truth?

What would constitute a satisfactory answer to the question?

Soap operas and entertainment aren't trying to do philosophy though.

Well done them! It's a stupid, vague and therefore pointless question, and generates the sort of nebulous waffle we see in the present discussion.

Your psyche may be dark and unforgiving, mine is generally lighthearted and easy-going. I'd recommend avoiding Camus and other miseryguts authors.

If you're talking about me, I was attempting to clarify the discussion, which has been muddy right from the start and is now only getting muddier. @"C...

To be self-conscious is to be excessively aware of oneself, to be unduly concerned with how others might perceive one's appearance or actions. That is...

Consciousness, by which I mean feeling things, hearing things, seeing things and so on, is a development of non-conscious biological capabilities like...

We are only responsible for our own individual contributions. Be the change you want to see.

There's a whole lot there to be unpacked. First of all, it's not going to help you or us get clear about thoughts and consciousness and the brain, if ...

How would it feel if they weren't from some underlying source such as a "soul"? This was a serious question Jack. If you want to talk about "thoughts"...

How would it feel if they weren't from some underlying source such as a "soul"?

Any particular branch of philosophy?

To some extent it's what you make it. What would you like it to be?

Hi Daniel, Can you give an example of a limit independent of reason? Actually, I suppose the speed of light is an example. Thanks!

Space and limits have different ontologies. Limits you might say are man-made, but space is whatever it is regardless of what we say about it.

It’s not my theory, it’s Darwin’s.

What?

Self aware sentience has reproductive advantages.

Natural selection.

I don't really see where logic comes into it. Logic, like mathematics and information is an abstract description of the world rather than being the wo...

One of the best books I've read for years, Metazoa.

It doesn't operate from information. It's biological.

Well, you're right there, but that's exactly what's wrong with OP's idea. Abstract can be defined as "existing in thought or as an idea but not having...

The brain is not an information processing body, any more than the stomach is. The brain is biological, it works by electrochemical and other biologic...

1. Depressives don't lack stimulus, rather the stimulus doesn't seem to have the desired effects. 1b. The healthy activities I take part in (sports, c...

I have often seen people saying "you can't even define consciousness so what's the good in talking about it?" or "how can we explain it if we don't kn...

I'm afraid I don't recall where Searle says that @"Amity".