From newshub.ccs.yorku.ca!torn!watserv2.uwaterloo.ca!watdragon.uwaterloo.ca!logos.uwaterloo.ca!cpshelle Mon Aug 24 15:41:34 EDT 1992
Article 6673 of comp.ai.philosophy:
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>From: cpshelle@logos.uwaterloo.ca (cameron shelley)
Subject: Re: what is consciousness for?
Message-ID: <BtC48F.KBx@watdragon.uwaterloo.ca>
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Organization: University of Waterloo
References: <1992Aug20.191345.23208@mp.cs.niu.edu>
Date: Fri, 21 Aug 1992 13:02:38 GMT

rickert@mp.cs.niu.edu (Neil Rickert) writes:
> In article <BtA916.9EI@watdragon.uwaterloo.ca> cpshelle@logos.uwaterloo.ca (cameron shelley) writes:
> >That's true, but also an extreme case, if I understand your meaning. 
> >I think learning over a lifetime is quite rapid when compared with the
> >general rate of genetic `learning'.  And if you subscribe to the
> 
> Agreed, any learning is rapid compared with evolutionary changes.  But
> we were discussing consciousness.  Gradual learning over an extended
> period - say your lifetime - appears to be largely unconscious.  Learning
> which involves consciousness is much more rapid.

This leaves me rather unsure about the distinction between conscious
learning and unconscious learning that you're referring to.  Do you
also make a distinction between unconscious learning and innate
learning (such as imprinting, say)?  It would indeed be interesting to
look at what consciousness is by looking at what conscious learning
does in contrast to what unconscious learning does.  Could you give a
couple of examples that show this? 

(In any case, perhaps I misrepresented myself.  I did not mean to imply
that I think culture is the only use humans get out of consciousness,
but that I do think that learning culture requires a great deal of
conscious activity.)

</dev/cam
--
      Cameron Shelley        |"In the beginning, there was nothing.  Then
cpshelle@jeeves.uwaterloo.ca | God said `Let there be light', and there
    Davis Centre Rm 2136     | was still nothing, but youse could see it."
 Phone (519) 885-1211 x3390  | --Dave Thomas, SCTV:_Sunrise Semester_


