X-Message-Number: 8321 Subject: Consciousness defined? Date: Mon, 16 Jun 1997 10:08:23 -0400 From: "Perry E. Metzger" <> > From: Hara Ra <> > > > From: "Perry E. Metzger" <> > > > Absent a definition, its hard to even begin reasoning about the > > property. Things which are so slippery that they have no good > > definition should arouse our suspicion. > > > OK. Let's get some definitions going here. Get out your nits and pick > away, but the price to join the picking is to offer a definition of your > own: > > ------------------------- > Definition: Consciousness > > A system is conscious if: > > 1. It is capable of lingusitic communication (it can talk) > 2. It can discuss its own existence (it knows it exists) > > ------------------------- Well, at this point, as you agree that passing the Turing test means something is conscious, so your definition isn't "interesting" in the sense that it isn't a definition that a number of members of the local "the Turing test can't possibly test for consciousness" crowd would agree to. *I* don't have any trouble with the Turing test, mind you, but *they* do. So long as *THEY* won't define what they mean by "Consciousness" it is a problem discussing the question with *them*. Perry Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=8321