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Does the act of the computation make it real? Or does the mathematical system being modeled exist independently of its computation?

• russdill 10y ago
  The act of doing the computation doesn't change the outcome of the computation. Still doesn't answer the question completely, but in my mind at least the idea that humans would act the same even if they weren't conscious is a non starter.
  • marcoperaza 10y ago
    My point is that if a machine can "create" consciousness through computation, but computation itself doesn't make the result any more real, then didn't the created consciousness exist all along?
    • russdill 10y ago
      Right, which is what I'm saying. It wouldn't make sense otherwise. It would mean that the result of the computation didn't depend on consciousness in the first place.
    • monort 10y ago
      That is the idea of mathematical universe of Tegmark: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathematical_universe_hypothesis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathematical_universe_hypothes...