How to measure consciousness? | Scott Aaronson and Lex Fridman

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[labibbidabibbadum]

"A gigantic grid of exclusive OR gates..." Someone has to make that the evil entity in some future indie horror film.

[peterpipe]

I think consciousness is a field that permeates the universe . This field can manifest in the material world if the matter is of a sufficient complexity . . Like a cellular creature with a brain and a central nervous system etc .
The higher complexity equates to more consciousness .
Once computers and machines reach a certain threshold of complexity consciousness will be observed because consciousness was always there, its part of the universe .

[yessroman]

If we are contemplating the amount of consciousness - “more or less conscious” - within entities, then I ask you : What would be the difference in experience between entities with more and less consciousness ? Further, would you judge your estimation of an entitie’s amount of conciousness as more valid than the entitie’s experience of its conciousness?

[alanammann]

In order for self-driving cars to work, it may be necessary for them to “recognize”, say, cotton candy — and that is just a way to suggest the granularity of situational awareness such a car would need for human-like driving autonomy. Add to this situational awareness an ability to recall novel driving situations it has encountered and successfully negotiated — something like training voice recognition software — and I suspect the car will have some type of consciousness, but it might be difficult for humans to discern. How much situational awareness and data training would a self-driving humanoid need to walk down to the coffee shop and order a double latte? Could such an automaton be built today for such a narrow task? If so, why not increasingly complex tasks until it had mastery of all human behaviors. At that point perhaps its situational awareness would be so acute, and its internal model of reality so rich, that it would spontaneously display behavior that we couldn’t help but interpret as indicating consciousness.

[failfection]

I agree with Lex! I believe that there may be a way via computer science, but there's a chance that certain biological connections plays a major role in consciousness. Either way the idea of the integrated theory of consciousness is a good idea, feel like Scott should give some ways to expand the theory instead of just denouncing it all together...

[Wonderlust]

I think we have the ability to be conscious but we need to be taught it. True consciousness comes from knowledge and experience, to be aware of all that you’re interacting with and within yourself, but it’s easy to be a biological machine that just works for survival to eat and sleep and be safe. As consciousness grows in people, I believe their ability to remain in a mindless routine and cycle of life changes to a life of creativity and learning and interacting. On a scientific explanation I am not sure how to even begin, but just as an observation of my own experience and others, I think our brains are the tools and knowledge is how we learn to use them and make them effective.

[superman]

you know back in the day, they promised us all george jetson cars if we just paid their taxes... wilma, where's my car ?

[superman]

you know, i remember a television show back years ago..." my mother, the car."... why'd they take it off the air?

[labibbidabibbadum]

I have discovered a truly remarkable description of consciousnesses, which this comment is too small to contain.

[boho_hobo_]

We are in a simulation that emerged from a universal consciousness that is progressing to create another universal consciousness

[superman]

you know at some point in time, an identity will be created/developed which will have a viable self awareness with capable skills/knowledge/abilities to function without guidance within the societal parameters and will thus have rights and citizenship within that society ... i suppose that society will have to redefine the term "getting one over on the man" at that point as we will be all working and serving that identity.... maybe we will come to worship it even i suppose

[theotormon]

Lex, please interview biologist Johnjoe Mcfadden. I am personally convinced he has solved the hard problem of consciousness. Look into his cemi field theory. It relies on only existing physics and biology and basically posits that the answer has been staring us in the face for decades. He just published a new paper in the journal Neuroscience of Consciousness.

[richardhorvatich]

Psychedelics give insight into consciousness.

[Eriu---]

Animals have Consciousness to i believe, Although their perception may be different. Eyes-nose-ears ect...ive been swimming with Dolphins and hunted with dogs, trust me why i say, they are conscious.