- #1
johne1618
- 371
- 0
I was wondering what people think of the following argument against the idea that consciousness is the result of computation.
Imagine to the contrary that a computer becomes consciously aware by running a particular program.
Let us assume that the program is enclosed in a loop and is run say N times.
Let us say that this causes the computer to experience N consecutive "moments".
Prior to measuring the current moment number n, the computer can argue that it is equally likely to be in any moment n from 1 to N.
This seems reasonable.
Now let us assume that the loop is infinite so that the computer program iterates forever.
In principle it must be possible that it is a fact that the program never halts (just as it is a fact that the decimal expansion of pi continues forever).
Again prior to measuring its actual moment number n, the computer should be able to argue that it is equally likely to be in any moment.
But now there are an infinite number of moments so that the probability of finding itself in any particular moment is 1 / infinity which is zero.
Here infinity is a "completed" infinity so that 1 / infinity doesn't just tend to zero but actually is zero.
There seems to be a paradox here. We seem to find that the computer cannot find itself in any moment n.
I think the solution is that a deterministic computer running a program cannot be conscious in the first place.
What do you think?
Imagine to the contrary that a computer becomes consciously aware by running a particular program.
Let us assume that the program is enclosed in a loop and is run say N times.
Let us say that this causes the computer to experience N consecutive "moments".
Prior to measuring the current moment number n, the computer can argue that it is equally likely to be in any moment n from 1 to N.
This seems reasonable.
Now let us assume that the loop is infinite so that the computer program iterates forever.
In principle it must be possible that it is a fact that the program never halts (just as it is a fact that the decimal expansion of pi continues forever).
Again prior to measuring its actual moment number n, the computer should be able to argue that it is equally likely to be in any moment.
But now there are an infinite number of moments so that the probability of finding itself in any particular moment is 1 / infinity which is zero.
Here infinity is a "completed" infinity so that 1 / infinity doesn't just tend to zero but actually is zero.
There seems to be a paradox here. We seem to find that the computer cannot find itself in any moment n.
I think the solution is that a deterministic computer running a program cannot be conscious in the first place.
What do you think?