X-Message-Number: 4036 Date: Sat, 18 Mar 1995 09:44:38 -0800 From: John K Clark <> Subject: SCI.CRYONICS Solipsism and Turing -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- In #4032 Wrote: >a special non-computing character for feeling might imperil >the whole information paradigm Yes, it certainly would. If it was proven I'd abandon science and mathematics and become a mystic or a holly roller, but not much chance of that happening. >What he means, I suppose, is that if my example (or any >similar one) were to hold, then the Turing Test would fail, >and he can't admit this You put your finger on the heart of the matter. If I reject the Turing Test then I would have absolutely no reason for believing that my fellow human beings were conscious, logically I would be forced to take solipsism very seriously indeed. Emotionally I am not able to embrace solipsism, so I accept the Turing Test (like Induction ) as one of the axioms of existence. Like all axioms they have not been proven and will never be proven but I am unable to function without them. >although I seem to recall that he or/and other uploaders >have conceded the Turing Test isn't infallible. That is correct, the Turing Test has faults, first of all it's language is rather vague, at least by mathematical standards, and second it has not been proved. However in spite of it's faults it's the only thing we have to work with and complaining about it is like complaining that induction doesn't work quite the way we'd like. John K Clark -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: 2.6.i iQCzAgUBL2sTEX03wfSpid95AQFNeATwk5UFbGBFy7oxmtDa5AmQm7ipDJ0mJomH +82lo4XKkzDMiQYHIBIcTAkionpWqmopFMUkaeY9oRZndKlko+t8oNdY2jvox0TU 9doC/xj0dxR9V8BhAAgppiQdxJQb41Gm2ankYMoWF9QX6SCJre0fK4F4sRBoSg3Q enCMdQ9835/AyBe2tNOuOCCwTG0L5Se3l+YEI679Nwp5OuBCuJ8= =HkmG -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=4036