View Single Post
  #20 (permalink)  
Old 12-03-2007, 09:39 AM
Paul C. Anagnostopoulos Paul C. Anagnostopoulos is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 1,020
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by davidsmith
So if there can't be physical reality without qualitative reality then the computer simulation thought experiment doesn't even get off the ground. In other words, imagining there are circumstances where a string of logical commands running through a bunch of computer chips are not conscious is an illusion. No physical thing suddenly "gets to be consicous". Physical things are contructed from consciousness.
Constructed from what consciousness? It can't be my consciousness,* because thee is clear evidence that the coherency of physical things is maintained across my being conscious of them (this is why solipsism is silly). So it has to be some kind of universal consciousness metamind sort of thing. In that case, how can we tell the difference between everything being consciousness, being physical, or being pink jello?

~~ Paul

* In other words, physical things aren't simply figments of my awareness.
Reply With Quote