Ned Block on Perception, Cognition, and Consciousness
Jul 10, 2024
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Philosopher Ned Block discusses perception, cognition, and consciousness in his latest book. Topics include the limitations of AI achieving consciousness, theories of consciousness, the non-conceptual aspect of perception, distinctions between phenomenal and access consciousness, challenges in higher order theories of consciousness, panpsychism, building machines with chemical neurotransmitters, and the concept of substituting biological elements with silicon chips.
Functionalism plays a crucial role in the AI consciousness debate, questioning computation's sole role in consciousness.
Various theories, like Global Workspace Theory and Panpsychism, aim to understand the complex relationship between perception and consciousness.
The meta-problem of consciousness delves into the challenges of understanding consciousness, exploring different theories like phenomenal concepts and the fading qualia thought experiment.
Deep dives
Functionalism in AI Consciousness
When discussing AI consciousness, the importance of functionalism is highlighted. The debate revolves around whether computation alone is sufficient for consciousness, with implications arising from incredible AI advancements.
Variety of Consciousness Theories
Various theories of consciousness are explored, including the Global Workspace Theory, Higher Order Theory, First Order Theory, and Integrated Information Theory. These theories aim to understand the relationship between perception and cognition in defining consciousness.
Panpsychism and Quantum Consciousness
Panpsychism, a theory gaining interest, delves into embedding consciousness in the physical world, while Quantum Consciousness, especially in the hot and wet environment of the brain, remains a fringe concept. Panpsychism raises questions on the nature of consciousness beyond traditional scientific methods.
Exploring the Meta-Problem of Consciousness
The meta-problem of consciousness addresses the underlying challenges in understanding consciousness itself. Different approaches, including phenomenal concepts and illusionist theories, offer insights into why consciousness is problematic and how intuitions about consciousness vary.
Fading Qualia Thought Experiment
The fading qualia thought experiment, focusing on the replacement of neurons with silicon chips, challenges the nature of consciousness and the impact of incremental changes. The discussion delves into whether consciousness undergoes a gradual fading or a sudden shift as components are replaced with artificial substitutes.
Distinguished Philosopher Ned Block discusses perception, cognition, and consciousness as well as his latest book, The Border Between Seeing and Thinking, a model for bringing philosophy and the mind sciences into dialogue.
Ned Block is an American philosopher working in philosophy of mind who has made important contributions to the understanding of consciousness and the philosophy of cognitive science. He has been professor of philosophy and psychology at New York University since 1996.