Bells, if I may? Until we find a working understanding of it, we are going to return to the issue of consciousness over and over again.
If we do not know what consciousness is, how could we possibly copy it into a computer format? Perhaps the following thought would help us towards that goal. I'd like to thank you for stimulating that thought in my mind, when you implied a copying function by using the word "upload". That made me ask; where in the human living cycle do we find a copying function? If i recall, it does occur in a daily copying of our DNA (including all our experiences of the day). In this sense, for a binary system of consciousness, we should include a DNA-management topology. Such systems already exist. However, it is my contention that a DNA-management systems would be only one of many parts of a system called "Human consciousness". I do not face the same dilemma as so many others here seem to, because I'm not of the view that we should aim for replicating human consciousness on a machine platform. On the contrary, that should be avoided. What we should probably aim for is a system of consciousness, that would be a particular version of consciousness for evolving a future, machine species. I strongly disagree with Jim's view on experience not being plausible on machines, in that I think it indeed possible to bring measurable experience to a machine platform. How so? Suppose a DNA-management system was installed on a computational platform, would it manage biological DNA, or DNA-type of information within context of functional DNA for that particular entity? Obviously, it would not aim to manage biological DNA for lack of its own biology, but it would theoretically be able to handle the informational part thereof. If, in the future, such a machine platform would be equipped with hybridized bio-synthetic architectural components, it would not clash with the existing DNA-management system. Why not? Simply put, DNA is DNA. The algorithms are binary by nature. Last, given such a functional, non-bio architecture existed, it should still become possible to replicate a current state of DNA map for a human to a machine as part-consciousness information, thereafter to manipulate it. I doubt it could be kept in sync though. To be clear, that would not be the only consciousness information required to activate such a system. There must be more. It's my contention that we'll discover those components within a working understanding of "consciousness". Rob ________________________________ From: Bells Hakala via AGI <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, 20 September 2018 11:30 PM To: [email protected] Cc: [email protected] Subject: Re: [agi] Honestly? Hi Jim, I have thought about this extensively over the years... I feel that uploading our consciousness into a computer would likely make an interactive AI replica, but I do not think it would still be connected to a "soul" (if you will). for anyone who doesn't believe in souls, then it wouldn't matter to them. Anyone who believes there is some sort of physical "energy" that would be lacking with an electronic simulacrum, would probably feel that although it would be nice to have, that it would not be 'the same' as being alive. That being said, what I would love to do is upload my consciousness into a sim or android/robot/etc, and see how that develops in comparison to how the "bio" version of me develops. I think that that would help us gather alot of data on the topic. But it would seem to me, very likely, that the electronic version of me would evolve/adapt faster than the bio-me because of the transfer and processing of data. It wouldn't be a completely accurate experiment until/unless the bio-me would be able to have that kind of speed/access of data as well. But regardless, I think it would let us know how viable/accurate our uploads are. And I suspect that if we can reach a technological state where we can do non-lethal-uploading that it will suddenly be very common for people to want to upload themselves, then ask the electronic-me to go research stuff that bio-me wants... and then have those specific conversations. It would be amazing to have electronic-me go do the learning that I want, and then have them guide the bio-me through it step by step in the common language. Back to the original question... as someone who believes in some kind of biological energy connection, I believe that it would most likely be severed from the electronic-me. But I have wondered what would happen if we used synthetic biology to create another host-body, and transferred consciousnesses to it.... I am not sure if we would then have two biological energy connections (me original-me, and duplicate-me were both made of living material), and if so would they be 'the same' or would there be a 'new' connection for the synthetic-me? But then this brings us to the question of where that energy is connected to us.... (Ship of Theseus)... I feel as though it is in the brain... so how much could we augment the brain before it might no longer be able to maintain that energy connection? I feel as though if any of the brain is still living, then the connection would likely be there. (if my beliefs are valid... which I do not mean to propose, IN ANY WAY, that they are... I am merely answering your question from my point of view, because it seems that you are interested in the data of others). -Bells ~ Bells Hakala (617) 416-4142 On Tue, Sep 18, 2018 at 6:07 PM Jim Bromer via AGI <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: I already regret asking these questions, but do you truly (really - honestly) believe that: Conscious Experience or soul or Qualia or the experience of being (or whatever you want to call it) does not actually exist (or occur)? and/or This experience (whatever you want to call it) can therefore occur in a computer program? Jim Bromer Artificial General Intelligence List<https://agi.topicbox.com/latest> / AGI / see discussions<https://agi.topicbox.com/groups/agi> + participants<https://agi.topicbox.com/groups/agi/members> + delivery options<https://agi.topicbox.com/groups/agi/subscription> Permalink<https://agi.topicbox.com/groups/agi/T2e5182d7ce6527f7-M126d6216b29cf27ec3756f3c> ------------------------------------------ Artificial General Intelligence List: AGI Permalink: https://agi.topicbox.com/groups/agi/T2e5182d7ce6527f7-Me591bd41353c49ef3c6348c9 Delivery options: https://agi.topicbox.com/groups/agi/subscription
