Comments on: Free Will

By: Damian

Damian — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 07:48:29 +0000

I hear ya!

By: Dale Campbell

Dale Campbell — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 05:42:05 +0000

one of my most significant frustrations is having too many interests… too many books to read (not to mention blogs) sigh… I wouldn’t mind browsing it, though

By: Damian

Damian — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 08:36:53 +0000

Quite right, I’ve yet to see a good definition.

If you’re looking into consciousness I have the excellent Consciousness - an introduction textbook by Susan Blackmore if you would like to borrow it.

By: Dale Campbell

Dale Campbell — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 07:51:30 +0000

I wouldn’t say never, but I’m not placing any bets on it anytime soon. And I think you’re right to say “whatever ‘consciousness’ really is” - it’s not at all like we’ve got it sussed.

By: Damian

Damian — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 05:36:04 +0000

Good point. And even the process we go through as infants and then children too. Once again I suspect that our greatest mistake is to think that ‘consciousness’ is a binary state but that it is actually a gradual process (or a combination of different things i.e. self-awareness, intent, language, etc, etc).

So, on examining the Chinese Room Argument do you think that it is technically possible to build a machine that will one day be ‘conscious’? Whatever ‘consciousness’ really is.

By: Dale Campbell

Dale Campbell — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 05:28:57 +0000

I find it an interesting analogy. Whether or not it confirms or challenges ‘AI’, it helps frame a discussion (or at least one point of a discussion). Just because something ‘looks’ conscious, doesn’t mean it is, I suppose.
I find consciousness quite interesting. Funny how we can experience levels of self-awareness (waking in the morning is a perfect example). I wonder if the process of ‘waking up’ is at all analogous to pre-human stages of consciousness?

By: Damian

Damian — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 00:48:19 +0000

What are your thoughts on this Dale? And is the term “artificial intelligence” interchangeable with “consciousness”?

By: Dale Campbell

Dale Campbell — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 23:52:33 +0000

Hey - just saw this.
It’s called the ‘Chinese Room Argument’ - relating to whether or not ‘artificial intelligence’ is possible.

By: Damian

Damian — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 22:20:17 +0000

Well then it would seem that by your definition there are computer programs that exist already that have free will.

By: BC

BC — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 20:48:36 +0000

Freewill can apply to animals in a less than human way. Rational insight and self awareness are general qualities in humans, but are much less characteristic (or comprehended by us) of animals such as Fred the goldfish.
Both qualities, in the broader application, are involved in how we comprehend the world and operate within it as human beings, and is not only associated with freewill.