Tag: Philosophy

Why Life Does Not Really Exist | Brainwaves, Scientific American Blog Network

Why is defining life so frustratingly difficult? Why have scientists and philosophers failed for centuries to find a specific physical property or set of properties that clearly separates the living from the inanimate? Because such a property does not exist. Life is a concept that we invented. On the most fundamental level, all matter that … Continue reading Why Life Does Not Really Exist | Brainwaves, Scientific American Blog Network →

6 Reasons Why People — Not Things — Will Make You Happier

The holiday season is the time to focus on what's truly important: Spending quality time with friends and family, being thankful for all the blessings in your life, and showing how much you care by giving of yourself. But after being bombarded with commercials and marketing messages galore, it can be easy to forget what … Continue reading 6 Reasons Why People — Not Things — Will Make You Happier →

Science, philosophy, and caution about what we think we know

What is the difference between science and philosophy?  While there are enterprises that are clearly in one or the other, the dividing line isn't always a sharp one.  Science grew out of philosophy, particularly natural philosophy.  Some would say that science is itself a type of philosophy.  But what is the difference between what we … Continue reading Science, philosophy, and caution about what we think we know →

BBC – Future – Technology – Is it OK to torture or murder a robot?

In the discussion on my post on computer consciousness from the other day, my friend amanimal just provided the following link: BBC - Future - Technology - Is it OK to torture or murder a robot?. I think this powerfully corroborates my thesis in that post, but it also illustrates that I might have been … Continue reading BBC – Future – Technology – Is it OK to torture or murder a robot? →

More on computer consciousness

After discussion on my post the other day on consciousness being in the eye beholder, I realized that I probably should expand a bit on my hypothesis about what we would intuitively consider to be a conscious being. We, as minds, are aware.  We have awareness from our senses: sight, hearing, smell, touch, and taste.  From the … Continue reading More on computer consciousness →

Do cockroaches have a form of consciousness? – Brandon Keim – Aeon

Do cockroaches have a form of consciousness? – Brandon Keim – Aeon. An interesting essay exploring to what degree roaches, worms, and bees have consciousness .  I have to admit that, from the time I first heard about cyborg cockroaches, I've found it a disturbing concept, despite the fact that I usually don't hesitate to … Continue reading Do cockroaches have a form of consciousness? – Brandon Keim – Aeon →

Countering emotion with logic is often not effective

Massimo Pigliucci posted yesterday: Rationally Speaking: Irrationality, a personal study, his personal frustration in a conversation with a relative who, despite being a fairly rational person, had an emotional aversion to gay marriage.  Massimo lamented the difficulty in convincing people to approach things rationally. I think trying to counter emotional positions with logic is a tricky … Continue reading Countering emotion with logic is often not effective →

Why science, philosophy, or religion cannot determine morality

There are some famous thinkers, Sam Harris and Michael Shermer, among others, who are currently attempting to sell the idea that we should have a "science of morality".  They assert that moral propositions reduce to matters of fact about the wellbeing of conscious creatures.  Many philosophers, such as Massimo Pigliuci, take umbrage at this, seeing … Continue reading Why science, philosophy, or religion cannot determine morality →