From: Sparks Simon (snjs197@ecs.soton.ac.uk)
Date: Thu May 24 2001 - 14:12:55 BST
>>> DENNETT:
>>> It is unlikely, in my opinion, that anyone will ever make a robot that
>>> is conscious in just the way we human beings are.
>> Cove:
>> I agree with this statement, but does this really matter? If we are
>> using Turing's criterion as a guide then surely not. As long as the
>> function of the robot is indistinguishable from that of its human
>> counterpart, can we simply assume this is good enough to claim it is
>> conscious.
> Kyriacou:
> You can not assume that it is good enough to claim it is conscious because
> a robot that is indistinguishable from its human counterpart is still a
> system that is defined by a set of rules, thus prohibiting it from ever
> truly being conscious, since a conscious mind can be considered to be
> caotic in its actions and decisions.
Sparks:
Can we say without doubt that a conscious mind performs actions and
makes decisions with little or no regard for rules? I think not. Do we
not develop rules based on experience from which to guide decisions? It
is my view that any action that we, as humans, take or any decision we
make is a consequence of who we are at that given time and that who we
are at any given time is predominantly the product of our experience. I
would suggest that the state of a conscious mind at any given moment
defines the rules by which actions are taken.
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.4 : Tue Sep 24 2002 - 18:37:31 BST