tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35018168.post6805830838355471930..comments2008-08-04T15:42:18.546+00:00Comments on bloggetiblog: Magdalena Kogutowskahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05124907330978322794noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35018168.post-89686099605970795122008-02-03T15:08:00.000+00:002008-02-03T15:08:00.000+00:00I believe that given we don't know what consciousn...I believe that given we don't know what consciousness is, trying to build something that act 'as if' it's conscious is 'good enough' and will indeed give pointers to what it means to be conscious as well as what consciousness is.<BR/><BR/>Sometimes it's useful build simple models that are approximation of what it is you're trying to understand, instead of trying to get to grips with the whole. Even if in reality it's not possible to truly understand without the bird's eye's view...<BR/><BR/>Then again, perhaps a little knowledge is a dangerous thing...Magdalena Kogutowskahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05124907330978322794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35018168.post-31942900657305880052007-12-27T16:26:00.000+00:002007-12-27T16:26:00.000+00:00The difference in approach, of course, is that Pau...The difference in approach, of course, is that Paul is asking whether you can make something which is not conscious to do the same as something which is, whereas the Zombie argument is more to bring out the idea of whether something which is identical will necessarily have consciousness or not.<BR/><BR/>For many functions, I am sure you can build something to perform the same function without it being conscious. But not if your aim is studying and understanding consciousness. Not everyone who builds robots does so because they are 'engineers', although they are <I>engineers</I>, of course, but they can do it because they have enquiring scientific minds, instead.Pat Parslowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02506915711552549107noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35018168.post-34919769762951369112007-07-27T19:06:00.000+00:002007-07-27T19:06:00.000+00:00Hi Paul,I do see what you mean, I believe you are ...Hi Paul,<BR/><BR/>I do see what you mean, I believe you are referring to the philosophical problem of zombies, except you've aimed problem at robots instead of humans. Much have been written about this issue, especially by David Chalmers and Daniel Dennett. Personally, however, I don't think it matters that much...Magdalena Kogutowskahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05124907330978322794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35018168.post-61808027813846245482007-07-24T10:52:00.000+00:002007-07-24T10:52:00.000+00:00Hello, nice post. I think an interesting additiona...Hello, nice post. I think an interesting additional question (though not perhaps an inherently ethical one) is what consciousness actually 'adds' to functionality, both human and robot. So for example (hypothetically speaking) if one could 'design and build' a conscious robot, could one then also design and build a non-conscious robot with equivalent functionality? My wording is perhaps a bit off, but I hope you see what my point is...<BR/>PaulAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05470909914174062331noreply@blogger.com