Will Simulated Minds Be Real?

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Author argues that if we simulate a whole brain and get to creatures with the behavior or capacities that you and i have, they would be conscious. But how would we know that that threshold has been crossed? Do you have any sense of that? Like, uc, certainly right now, when i'm playing the sims, i don't mind. I don't give a shit if i lock up my sim in a little room and it, you know, peas itself and dies - but is there, how, at what point would i start to feel otherwise?

We spend more time in digital, virtual spaces than ever. But are those places really real? If they are, does that mean we could be living in virtual reality right now? Or does it even make sense to ask such a question? Philosopher David Chalmers joins Adam to talk about consciousness, the nature of reality, and the limits of digital technology. Pick up David's latest book, Reality+, at http://factuallypod.com/books. Support Adam at http://patreon.com/adamconover Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.