From: John K Clark (johnkclark@fastmail.fm)
Date: Fri Mar 07 2008 - 11:30:09 MST
Matt Mahoney, matmahoney@yahoo.com wrote:
> The argument fails because it is based
> on the unproven assumption that
> consciousness exists.
Unproven!? What sort of objective proof would take precedence over
direct experience? Even if I had an objective proof that you don’t find
it unpleasant when you stick your hand in a fire I still think you’d
pull your hand out at the first opportunity.
The religious person would be justified to laughing at me if I said he
didn’t really think god existed, just as I would laugh at you if you
said I was not conscious. The only difference between me and the snake
handler is that thinking god exists is not god, but thinking about
consciousness is consciousness because that’s all consciousness is,
thinking about stuff.
> Your brain is a computer.
Yes.
> It will believe whatever it is programmed to believe.
So I’m not conscious, I just believe I’m conscious, but there is no
objective reason to believe even that; I don’t believe I’m conscious, I
just believe I believe I’m conscious, but there is no objective reason
to believe even that; I don’t believe I believe I’m conscious, I just
believe I believe I believe I’m conscious. but there is no objective
reason to believe even that […]
Objectivity be damned! I have a subjective proof that at least one
consciousness exists in the universe; and don’t tell me consciousness is
an illusion because both things are subjective phenomena, if
consciousness doesn’t exist then illusions don’t either.
John K Clark
-- John K Clark johnkclark@fastmail.fm -- http://www.fastmail.fm - One of many happy users: http://www.fastmail.fm/docs/quotes.html
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