consciousness – CHARLES GILLINGHAM

Characters

Systems of information and human consciousness Maybe the mind and the self are a kind of system of information or a pattern, analogous to the software and structured data in a computer. It’s not physical, it’s an arrangement of a set physical things that represents an information system. This has the advantage over the metaphysicalContinue reading “Characters”

The Stepford Scenario

Three children sitting on a wooden porch step outside a house, with a girl on the left in a green sweater, a boy in the middle in a striped shirt, and a younger boy in an orange shirt reaching towards the camera

Human sympathy and human essence Consider this thought experiment, which is a variation on the 1972 movie “Stepford Wives”. (This version works better for parents.) Of course I’ve done something wrong. If this was a movie, we would expect you to fight to death to get your children back. That’s the only way this movieContinue reading “The Stepford Scenario”

The Paradox of Mary and Mark

Young boy and girl smiling, girl wearing smart glasses with cameras

On subjective consciousness This is a variation on Frank Jackson’s thought experiment “Mary’s Room” (1982). This much of the argument should convince you that you believe subjective consciousness is real. There is nothing confusing or mysterious about the concept. You know exactly what I mean when I say “there is a difference between knowing whichContinue reading “The Paradox of Mary and Mark”

Ghosts and Other Invisible Stuff

Metaphysical consciousness and the human essence. The characters in Ghost in the Shell struggle to understand their “ghost” — their actual self, the real person beneath all the cybernetic enhancements in their bodies, brains and bloodstream. Major Motoko Kusanagi: Maybe all full-replacement cyborgs like me start wondering this. That perhaps the real me died aContinue reading “Ghosts and Other Invisible Stuff”

The Sixth Day: on the moment when ai comes alive

Here’s a couple of examples of a common trope in science fiction. Terminator II: Judgement Day (1991): The Terminator: “… [Skynet] goes online on August 4th 1997. Human decisions are removed from Strategic Defense. Skynet begins learning at geometric rate. It becomes self-aware at 2:14 a.m. eastern time August 29th. In a panic they triedContinue reading “The Sixth Day: on the moment when ai comes alive”

Considering Samantha

On human essence Let’s talk about the movie Her — a work of genius that goes right to the heart of a number of issues in the philosophy of artificial intelligence. The prediction at the center of the film — that a human simulation would become the world’s most popular program and people would becomeContinue reading “Considering Samantha”

The Human Essence Assumption

. This is an assumptions that are almost always made in science fiction, and often made in non-fiction writing about AI. I’ve written eight or so articles about it. To be honest, this article is mostly a way to try to keep my thinking straight. But it might also be interesting to you all andContinue reading “The Human Essence Assumption”

Four Assumptions About the Future of Artificial Intelligence

These four assumptions are almost always made in science fiction and popular commentary on AI or alien life. They are often made by the leaders of AI research and industry, as well as by academic futurists and professional scientists (who should know better). The Human Essence Assumption In science fiction, the essential property is calledContinue reading “Four Assumptions About the Future of Artificial Intelligence”