hackinthebochs OP t1_izpq7vt wrote on December 10, 2022 at 10:37 PM

Reply to comment by JHogg11 in AI could have 20% chance of sentience in 10 years, says philosopher David Chalmers by hackinthebochs

The issue of how to explain consciousness is importantly different than whether an AI can be or is conscious. An explanation of consciousness will identify features of systems that determine their level of consciousness. The hard problem of consciousness places a limit on the kinds of explanations we can expect from just physical dynamics alone. But some theories of consciousness allow that physical or computational systems intrinsically carry the basic properties to support consciousness. For example, panpsychism says that the fundamental properties that support consciousness are found in all matter. This includes various mechanical and computational devices. And so there is no immediate contradiction in being anti-physicalist and also believing that certain computational systems will be conscious.

BBush1234 t1_izpre4h wrote on December 10, 2022 at 10:46 PM

Saying that AI can be conscious when you can't explain how consciousness originates is basically just saying that you're willing to decide that it has achieved consciousness at a certain point of sophistication.

Technically, it requires a level of faith to believe that other people are conscious and this would be similar with the main difference being that there is no obvious physical comparison between you and the AI (like there is with other people).

ShitCelebrityChef t1_j09cowg wrote on December 15, 2022 at 12:21 AM

So much of the AI discussion is wishful thinking. Or magical thinking to put it another way. Or poor thinking to put it yet another. It's not impossible that computers could be sentient, but an honest appraisal would have to say its more unlikely than likely. The brain is not a computer. Silicon is not carbon. Comparisons between consciousness and computing are metaphorical. It's an en vogue faith based belief without even the redeeming qualities of a belief in god.

There is nothing as stupid as very clever people.

ConsciousLiterature t1_izqbery wrote on December 11, 2022 at 1:26 AM

>This includes various mechanical and computational devices.

It also includes rocks. It also includes electrons and neutrons and photons which never experience state change.

I would say it's a crazy theory but honestly it's so far away from being able to called a theory we need to make up a new word to describe it.

newyne t1_izr5kuo wrote on December 11, 2022 at 5:47 AM

Also there's the idea that the particles are conscious without the system of AI being conscious. And again, what kind of "consciousness" are we talking about? Panpsychism assumes that sentience is ubiquitous, but sapience is still emergent.