I don't think you are necessarily in disagreement with him. The fact we are machines doesn't mean the circuits to video game analogy is incorrect, in fact I th

I don't think you are necessarily in disagreement with him. The fact we are machines doesn't mean the circuits to video game analogy is incorrect, in fact I think it's apt. If physics is about understanding the fundamental nature of matter and energy then why do we study chemistry? Because they are different abstractions that yield different insights. So the point is thinking about consciousness may be more useful that thinking about chemicals even if we understand some of the low level mechanics.