Well, here's the rub. It can only work out two ways, both of which the average slashdot user will find vaguely unsettling... Either:
A) Computers can never think like we do. Well, if not, why not? There's no reason why you couldn't simulate the actions of neurons with sufficient numbers of transistors. If computers can never think like we do, it's either because they can't because we're insufficiently intelligent to recreate the human brain (unsettling) or, for intelligent thought, maybe you need something like a soul. (unsettling to the average slashdot athiest)
B) Computers can think like we do. Isn't that unsettling enough as it is? Free will might as well not be real, since it can be simulated. So how do you know that you actually have it, and not a simulacrum?
Really, there's no way that this can work out comfortably.
Slashdot Mirror
Well, here's the rub. It can only work out two ways, both of which the average slashdot user will find vaguely unsettling... Either:
A) Computers can never think like we do. Well, if not, why not? There's no reason why you couldn't simulate the actions of neurons with sufficient numbers of transistors. If computers can never think like we do, it's either because they can't because we're insufficiently intelligent to recreate the human brain (unsettling) or, for intelligent thought, maybe you need something like a soul. (unsettling to the average slashdot athiest)
B) Computers can think like we do. Isn't that unsettling enough as it is? Free will might as well not be real, since it can be simulated. So how do you know that you actually have it, and not a simulacrum?
Really, there's no way that this can work out comfortably.