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Article 7364 of comp.ai.philosophy:
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>From: sasmsr@zinfande.unx.sas.com (Mark S. Riggle)
Subject: Re: Ginsberg & Human intelligence vs. Machine intelligence
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Date: Thu, 22 Oct 1992 12:58:10 GMT
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Keywords: quantum mechanics consciousness
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In article <BwHpAz.Byv@ns1.nodak.edu>, vender@plains.NoDak.edu (Does it matter?) writes:
|> The implications of quantum mechanics reguarding the consciousness of the
|>   observer are not valid.
|> First, consider that the theories deal with particles which are very small,
|>   and we exist on a much larger scale.  In order to observe the particles,
|>   we have to utilize very large scale actions.  The situation becomes quite
|>   rapidly similar to this example:
|> 
|>     The observer is sitting on the edge of a dark chamber.  Inside the chamber
|>   are several people who cannot see outside the chamber and cannot throw
|>   anything outside the chamber.  The observer is equipped with a large
|>   supply of bricks, which the observer can throw into the room--the only
|>   action the observer is allowed to take, other than listening to the room.
|>     At first, the observer may consider the objects in the room to be in
|>   any condition possible.  After throwing the first brick, and hearing the
|>   reactions to that action, various possible states are eliminated.
|> 
|>     And now the relationship of the room to quantum physics:
|>     --Every brick thrown into the room affects the state of the room.
|>     --If the observer can hear the difference between a brick hitting
|>       one of the people, and hitting the floor, the position or speed of
|>       the people can be known with some certainty.
|>     --If the observer stops throwing bricks, the room will settle into
|>       an unknown condition.  In other words, the wave function of
|>       the room will reform, and have to be collapsed by further bricks.
|>       The people are still probably in the room, just in unknown conditions.
|> 
|>   The point is that consciousness has as much to do with quantum physics
|> and AI, as throwing bricks into a dark room full of people.
|> 
|> --Brad (who wishes people would stop trying to tie quantum physics
|>     to consciousness and AI)


The point before was that in the quantum state collapse, a
particular type of 'super-computation' might be possible that MAY
be utilized to create the computation required for consciousness.
That super-computation is not computable in a fundamental way.
Therefore, if consciousness depends on the that mechanism, then
consciousness does not fit into current formal models and quantum
physics would have a place in understanding consciousness.

I don't place the mind as an entity that is outside the brain and
I think the mind is a result of 'computation' of the brain.  So
before I read Penrose, I thought that all physical computation
would be encompassed by Church-Rosser and thus there was not a
fundamental limit on reconstructing human consciousness on a
conventional computer.  But Penrose shows that there is the
possiblility of a type of physically realizeable 'computation'
that is not TM reducible and there is the possiblity that it is
used in the brain.  They are very weak possiblities, but they do
open a door that I considered closed before; so it has moved me a
smidgen from a prior belief.

-Mark (who wishes people would stop thinking that they knew everything)

-- 
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Mark Riggle  -- SAS/ENGLISH         | "Give me a  LAMBDA long  enough
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