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Article 2297 of comp.ai.philosophy:
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>From: markc@smsc.sony.com (Mark Corscadden)
Newsgroups: comp.ai.philosophy,sci.philosophy.tech
Subject: red light / blue light scenario
Message-ID: <1991Dec20.004238.11206@smsc.sony.com>
Date: 20 Dec 91 00:42:38 GMT
Organization: Sony Microsystems Corp, San Jose, CA
Lines: 29

This is a simple though experiment that I made up about 15 years ago
to help myself think about the relationship between the physical brain
and my own subjective experience.  I mentioned it in a running email
conversation I've been having with someone and found out that our beliefs
concerning this scenario are diametrically opposed.

I'm posting this scenario in the hope that some folks will find it
interesting enough to explain what they think would happen and why.
In addition to sci.philosophy.tech, I've cross-posted to
comp.ai.philosophy because of the significant level of interest there
in the physical basis of subjective experience.

  Red Light / Blue Light Scenario

  You lie down on a bed which has a blue light on the ceiling directly
  above you.  Take a good look at the blue light above, and then close
  your eyes and relax.  Next to you is an identical bed, but this one
  has a red light on the ceiling above it.  At this instant a perfect
  physical duplicate of you is created instantaneously and placed on the
  bed next to you.  You are not physically effected in any way whatsoever.

  The light above you was blue when you closed your eyes.  Do you think
  it's possible that you will see a red light when you open your eyes
  again?  This is speaking from a purely subjective point of view; what
  would it be like to *experience* this scenario?

Mark Corscadden
markc@smsc.sony.com
work: (408)944-4086


