From newshub.ccs.yorku.ca!torn!cs.utexas.edu!wupost!waikato.ac.nz!aukuni.ac.nz!kcbbs!nacjack!codewks!system Mon Nov  9 09:36:21 EST 1992
Article 7471 of comp.ai.philosophy:
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Newsgroups: comp.ai.philosophy
Subject: Re: grounding and the entity/environment boundary
Message-ID: <D6HJTB1w165w@CODEWKS.nacjack.gen.nz>
>From: system@CODEWKS.nacjack.gen.nz (Wayne McDougall)
Date: Sat, 31 Oct 92 14:59:12 NZST
References: <1992Oct28.180841.1257@spss.com>
Organization: The Code Works Limited, PO Box 10 155, Auckland, New Zealand
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markrose@spss.com (Mark Rosenfelder) writes:

> Disk drives are more reliable than RAM, of course; but if the computer
> can appropriate the reliability of its peripheral storage devices to itself,
> so can I: humans have reliable external storage devices called "books"
> that are good for a few thousand years at least.

When talking about AI or a computer, where do you draw the line between 
the computer and its peripherals. If *I* was a computer and AI, I 
imagine that I would consider my disk drives to be part of my *self*. I 
might be able to see it go, and I'd be as pleased about it if you were 
to lose a leg (library? frontal lobes?).

And at the risk of being boxed labelled and filed as dualist, I'll play 
devil's advocate, and say that the "consciousness" uses the brain as a 
storage and processing peripheral.

B-)

-- 
  Wayne McDougall, BCNU
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