3 ms·

Hmm... If consciousness is caused by interacting quantum fluctuations, I'd think a watermelon has just as much chance of being conscious as a human brain does.

Hmm... If consciousness is caused by interacting quantum fluctuations, I'd think a watermelon has just as much chance of being conscious as a human brain does. The level of complexity and interaction across many scales is no different in a brain than in a watermelon. But if you think a brain is more likely to be conscious than a watermelon, then it's most likely the consciousness comes from one of the properties specific to the brain -- like its computational structure that couples sensory inputs, prediction, world modeling, hypotheticals, and modeling itself and other agents. These are probably software-like things that are classical in nature.

tsegratis 6y ago
I would suggest both -- simplify quantum fluctuations to a random num generator -- if that just sits by itself spewing out numbers (like a watermelon), I agree with you But add his suggestion to yours -- a random source + the ability to reason -- think of a robot you give a gun + reasoning partially based on a source outside your control -- here randomness Does that robot careen through NY, or hold reasoned debate on human rights & free will. Such a robot, I think, would be considered a free agent, and have free will (for most definitions of free will). I suppose we'd maybe want to add the rule the robot is consistent -- it doesn't flip randomly through extremes, even though its total path is fully random -- reasoning+randomness Personally I would apply that to humanity -- some source gives us agency (decision making separate to the source that originated us). Quantum mechanics is interesting, because it suggests maybe this separation is randomness due to lack of definition -- i.e. our source can fully define everything, and yet our separation of independent decision making makes our interactions meaningful. Which has some really beautiful conclusions -- notably life and decisions have worth, etc, etc ------ Loads more to say. But this is not the place

tsegratis 6y ago

I would suggest both -- simplify quantum fluctuations to a random num generator -- if that just sits by itself spewing out numbers (like a watermelon), I agree with you But add his suggestion to yours -- a random source + the ability to reason -- think of a robot you give a gun + reasoning partially based on a source outside your control -- here randomness Does that robot careen through NY, or hold reasoned debate on human rights & free will. Such a robot, I think, would be considered a free agent, and have free will (for most definitions of free will). I suppose we'd maybe want to add the rule the robot is consistent -- it doesn't flip randomly through extremes, even though its total path is fully random -- reasoning+randomness Personally I would apply that to humanity -- some source gives us agency (decision making separate to the source that originated us). Quantum mechanics is interesting, because it suggests maybe this separation is randomness due to lack of definition -- i.e. our source can fully define everything, and yet our separation of independent decision making makes our interactions meaningful. Which has some really beautiful conclusions -- notably life and decisions have worth, etc, etc ------ Loads more to say. But this is not the place