Comment by visarga
3 years ago
> how on earth does consciousness arise from material "meat"
Let me try. It is a way to perceive with goals in mind. Nothing special, just perception, future reward prediction conditioned on current state, and learning from outcomes.
The whole specialness of consciousness is that it carries inside not just our external world, but also our plans and goals. So in this place where they meet, and where there are consequences to be had for each decision, this is where consciousness is. [*]
I support the 5E theory of cognition - embodied, embedded, extended, enacted, and enactive cognition. I think you need to look not at the brain but the whole game to find consciousness.
[*] Consequences for an AI agent could be changing its neural network, so it updates its behaviour, and changes in the external situation - the agent might not be able to backtrack past a decision they take.
You and I experience the world very differently.
Do you have an internal monologue?
Some people don't. Some people also think visually and translate their visual images to words when communicating. There are even some people who don't feel pain, which can be a problem.
That’s why I asked! I wanted to know if that lack affects one’s interpretation of their own consciousness hence our different thoughts on the matter.
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Your response it needlessly insulting. The person you are talking about has taken a complex topic and expressed their model for consciousness in a short, clinical way. Then you insult them as not being a real human for describing their model clinically.
A more charitable response might be: I don't understand how your model addresses the origin of consciousness. Could you elaborate on that?
Personally, I understood their point and didn't question whether a human wrote it.
Ah, you are probably right. I'm just deeply baffled by their answer.
What is consciousness, if not perceiving-feeling-acting-learning loop?
I would define consciousness as having internal experience, i.e., qualia.