Ok, that's very interesting.
But just because it may be impossible for us to measure a definite point where a computer has become aware of itself doesn't mean of course that it couldn't become aware of itself; your point seems to be that we would have trouble measuring a point at which that happens as you're saying that self-awareness is on a scale. It reminds me of the sorites (heap) paradox: when does a heap become heap? How many grains of sand do you need to get a heap, and if you have a heap and take a grain away is it no longer a heap? The point is there is a blurry section in the middle of two distinct outer parts. That is interesting in terms of consciousness. And also children are not really self-aware until a certain age, then there's dreams, drugs, and other altered states. Also, some argue animals have a degree of self-awareness especially primates and perhaps dolphins? Not sure about dolphins.
So like many things self-awareness and consciousness is a slippery thing to pinpoint and define. I just read that betrand russell extended the grain of sand paradox to words like these: "tall", "rich", "old", "blue", "bald."
Is it possible computers could become conscious one day?
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Ok, that's very interesting.
But just because it may be impossible for us to measure a definite point where a computer has become aware of itself doesn't mean of course that it couldn't become aware of itself; your point seems to be that we would have trouble measuring a point at which that happens as you're saying that self-awareness is on a scale. It reminds me of the sorites (heap) paradox: when does a heap become heap? How many grains of sand do you need to get a heap, and if you have a heap and take a grain away is it no longer a heap? The point is there is a blurry section in the middle of two distinct outer parts. That is interesting in terms of consciousness. And also children are not really self-aware until a certain age, then there's dreams, drugs, and other altered states. Also, some argue animals have a degree of self-awareness especially primates and perhaps dolphins? Not sure about dolphins.
So like many things self-awareness and consciousness is a slippery thing to pinpoint and define. I just read that betrand russell extended the grain of sand paradox to words like these: "tall", "rich", "old", "blue", "bald."