In message <368BE917.7134342E@ma.ultranet.com>, sodom
<Sodom@ma.ultranet.com> writes
>haha - like your last line.
>
>I dont believe that programming alone is the issue. So far it looks like
>we start with only the "OS", the rest is gained through experience. Two
>machine neural networks that started with the same programming, would, I
>think, become more and more different as their store of experience
>changed and grew seperate.
But does that mean they become conscious only as they change, or were they conscious to begin with? I don't see that a unique viewpoint is necessary.
>im just curious why my second paragraph was beyond answering. it is not
>inconceivable that I am an avatar, or a machine.
When I accused you of being overly speculative, I meant what you said about my reaction to being told you're a machine. Even *I* don't really know how I'd react to that.
-- Robin