Here you’re getting into questions about consciousness, and I don’t believe we are at the level of understanding of it to be able to give a satisfactory answer. At the very least, I’d like a unified theory of everything before attempting to attack the consciousness question.
An idea occurs, of an Extrapolated Philosophical Disposition. If I were to ask a djinni to resurrect a loved one, I’d tell it to do it in a way I would want if I knew and understood everything there is to know about physics, neuroscience, philosophy of consciousness, etc.
a lot of people seem to try to attack consciousness using quantum theory (Elezier included)
I didn’t mean to say Elezier thought consciousness was created due to some quantum mechanism. If that’s what it seemed like I was saying, I apologize for the misunderstanding. I am referring to, for example this: http://lesswrong.com/lw/pv/the_conscious_sorites_paradox/
However the whole debate over consciousness turns out, it seems that we see pretty much what we should expect to see given decoherent physics. What’s left is a puzzle, but it’s not a physicist’s responsibility to answer.
…is what I would like to say.
But unfortunately there’s that whole thing with the squared modulus of the complex amplitude giving the apparent “probability” of “finding ourselves in a particular blob”.
As Elezier himself admitted, his interpretation of the question hinges on MWI. If the copenhagen interpretation is taken, it breaks down. Unfortunately we have no idea if MWI is the correct interpretation to take. There are other interpretations, like the Bohmian interpretation, that also lack all the nasty properties of Copenhagen but avoid many-worlds.
An idea occurs, of an Extrapolated Philosophical Disposition. If I were to ask a djinni to resurrect a loved one, I’d tell it to do it in a way I would want if I knew and understood everything there is to know about physics, neuroscience, philosophy of consciousness, etc.
Huh. Where did that happen?
It didn’t. EY has consistently said the opposite.
From here, among many other places:
I didn’t mean to say Elezier thought consciousness was created due to some quantum mechanism. If that’s what it seemed like I was saying, I apologize for the misunderstanding. I am referring to, for example this: http://lesswrong.com/lw/pv/the_conscious_sorites_paradox/
As Elezier himself admitted, his interpretation of the question hinges on MWI. If the copenhagen interpretation is taken, it breaks down. Unfortunately we have no idea if MWI is the correct interpretation to take. There are other interpretations, like the Bohmian interpretation, that also lack all the nasty properties of Copenhagen but avoid many-worlds.