How can we even know that someone or something else is conscious?
How is conscience defined? From what I found people talk about electric impulses, etc. And at the end of the day, or brain is entirely material after all. But what then prevents us from building something out of material that is conscious?
Or how could we even tell whether what we built is conscious or not?
I can tell that I am conscious, but as for everyone else, you could be a very convincing simulation and I wouldn't know any better.
Does this make sense? Where can I read more about this kind of thought?
>How can we even know that someone or something else is conscious?
We can't truly know that, but in practice it can be experienced by intuition and empathy.
>How is conscience defined?
In an oversimplified way, it's the hability to establish a relationship between your own self and the environment, in several levels depending on your consciousness capabilities.
>And at the end of the day, or brain is entirely material after all
We don't know that, and we only assume that consciousness stems from the brain. The hypotesis of the "stream of consciousness" is still on the table, even though it seems a little far fetched.
>But what then prevents us from building something out of material that is conscious?
Nothing at all imo
>Or how could we even tell whether what we built is conscious or not?
It will depend on the definition of consciousness that we use in order to validate that particular consciousness. And ofc, this is a very subjective matter. But I still think it's possible.
>I can tell that I am conscious, but as for everyone else, you could be a very convincing simulation and I wouldn't know any better.
This is basically Solipsism. Read Descartes I guess? But in the end it's a basic and ultimately empty philosophy that any kid of 8 y.o. has already thought about.
>>8183398
>it can be experienced by intuition and empathy
But surely I can have empathy with something that is not conscious, so long as I believe it to be?
I'm aware that none of this is anything new, and Descartes is exactly who I was thinking about while posting.
I guess my real main question (though I'm still interested in (artificial) conscience) is this: How do I overcome this?
I guess maybe the answer is that it simply doesn't matter so long as I can appreciate what I perceive.
>>8183488
>But surely I can have empathy with something that is not conscious, so long as I believe it to be?
It's possible, yes, since empathy is a social and biological system, it can be "tricked".
>How do I overcome this?
You can't, but for me this
>it simply doesn't matter so long as I can appreciate what I perceive.
is good enough.
Read Blindsight
>Conscience
Maybe look it up in the dictionary first retard
