(Please add (2009) to the title) See [1] for a much more recent discussion. Basically, Scott Aaronson showed that some rather mundane-seeming systems (like, sa

(Please add (2009) to the title) See [1] for a much more recent discussion. Basically, Scott Aaronson showed that some rather mundane-seeming systems (like, say, an ASIC implementing some LDPC code, or even just a square grid of XOR gates) exhibit very high "information integration" \Phi under this definition, and so would have to be highly conscious according to the theory. Tononi agrees, and argues we have to change our preconceived notions because that Reed-Solomon hardware in your DVD player is indeed highly conscious. Apparently. You be the judge. And keep that in mind before throwing away your old DVD player. [1] http://sciencehouse.wordpress.com/2014/06/02/integrated-information-theory/ http://sciencehouse.wordpress.com/2014/06/02/integrated-info...