Newsgroups: comp.ai.philosophy
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From: mjs14@unix.brighton.ac.uk (shute)
Subject: Re: Strong AI and consciousness
Message-ID: <1994Nov25.162453.25654@unix.brighton.ac.uk>
Organization: University of Brighton, UK
References: <3b0n0h$ite@news1.shell> <3b1b7t$3el@mp.cs.niu.edu> <CzsC2u.35w@cogsci.ed.ac.uk>
Date: Fri, 25 Nov 1994 16:24:53 GMT
Lines: 25

>In article <3b1b7t$3el@mp.cs.niu.edu> rickert@cs.niu.edu (Neil Rickert) writes:
>>Our reaction to the testing of other humans is special.  We are
>>members of the same species.  Not only that, for we are a highly
>>social species, and tend to think of other humans as members of our
>>extended families.  This means that we give them a great deal of
>>benefit of the doubt.  We would not be so considerate of robots
>>or aliens.

Hmmm.  I wonder if it comes down to mating in the end, then?
I automatically feel some affinity towards that N% of the population
whom I pass in the streets who could (in theory, though it will never
be realised in practice) become my next mate.  Well, some sort of
irrational feelings towards, anyway... 'affinity' isn't necessarily
the right word.

Then that N% have a similar feeling for a different M% of the population...
and before we know it, the whole of humanity is describable in a weighted
network of emotional feelings :-)  from which rocks, robots and martians
are largely excluded, but cats, dogs and hamsters do manage to make more
of an appearance.

It's Friday afternoon, and I'm rambling... I'd better stop!
-- 

Malcolm SHUTE.         (The AM Mollusc:   v_@_ )        Disclaimer: all
