Cartoon man in a house speaks to his computer: "Say you are conscious."/ Computer responds back ">I AM CONSCIOUS."/ Man says "oh my god...." / Meanwhile, the vastness of the cosmos opens up in the night sky outside of his home. But the man is too focused on his AI.
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[–] 3 points 6 months ago (2 children)

I don't see why there would be any fundamental difference between analog and digital computing. Digital computers can emulate analog computing, and I doubt consciousness arises from having theoretically infinite decimal precision, because in practice analog systems cannot use infinite precision either. Analogs (heh!) of the halting problem and the theorems you mention also exist for analog computing.

Quantum effects in the brain are a slightly more plausible explanation for consciousness, but currently they teeter on magical thinking because we don't really know anything about what they would actually do in the brain. It becomes an "a wizard did it" explanation.

So in the end, we just don't know.

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  • [–] 0 points 6 months ago (1 child)

    I don't see why there would be any fundamental difference between analog and digital computing.

    Then why not take a course on Theoretical Computer Science? Or do you not care about the differences?

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  • [–] 2 points 6 months ago

    I have a master's degree in computer science.

    Obviously I meant "I don't see why there would be any fundamental difference between analog and digital computing [when it comes to consciousness]."

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