X-Message-Number: 8261 From: (Thomas Donaldson) Subject: Re: CryoNet #8243 - #8247 Date: Fri, 30 May 1997 20:52:42 -0700 (PDT) For John Clark, briefly: One major question: please tell me what you consider to be a "computer". Unless I know this I have no way to convincing you whether or not computers can become self aware or not. Second major question: we have no trouble, in our rough way, in saying that one person is conscious while another is not. We do so on the basis of their behavior. In terms of what we ourselves notice about ourselves, we find that usually a judgement based on our behavior is correct: when others decide that we are unconscious, then after we awaken we will agree. When others decide we are conscious, we will also agree. Yes, sometimes people try to act as if they are asleep, and many other such things happen, but there is a rough correspondence. So therefore: what is it that makes you say that no observational test for consciousness exists? Long long life, Thomas Donaldson Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=8261