diff --git a/consciousness.myco b/consciousness.myco index a69adf2..f1316f0 100644 --- a/consciousness.myco +++ b/consciousness.myco @@ -24,6 +24,10 @@ It is likely that physics, as implemented by the [[universe]], can be simulated === Julian Jaynes +In [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Origin_of_Consciousness_in_the_Breakdown_of_the_Bicameral_Mind|The Origin Of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind]], Julian Jaynes draws from various historical sources, using more literal translations rather than the more common reinterpretations to argue that in the [[Late Bronze Age]], Europeans became conscious due to the failure of their hallucinatory gods at modelling the new and unpredictable scenarios they were in. It [[https://slatestarcodex.com/2020/06/01/book-review-origin-of-consciousness-in-the-breakdown-of-the-bicameral-mind/|has been argued]] that the book is describing a change to theory of mind or functional organization rather than "consciousness". + +The theory is compelling and surprisingly well-evidenced, excepting the minor detail that no such transition from "bicameralism" to "consciousness" is visible in any other society despite apparently having been a hugely memorable and destabilizing event for Europeans. The closest I'm aware of is [[https://www.ranprieur.com/readings/preconquest.html|Preconquest Consciousness]], but this isn't especially close. + == Incorrect, funny models * God endows sufficiently parameterized [[neural nets]] with a soul. @@ -34,4 +38,5 @@ It is likely that physics, as implemented by the [[universe]], can be simulated * Consciousness is an ugly hack used by compute-limited agents which allows them to connect their world model to their own observations ("[[https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/ethRJh2E7mSSjzCay/building-phenomenological-bridges|phenomenological bridge]]"). * Chinese-speaking computers cannot be conscious (Chinese Room argument). * Consciousness scales with parameter count (but in a non-soul-related way). -* Consciousness is fully epiphenomenal - discussions of consciousness is illusory. \ No newline at end of file +* Consciousness is fully epiphenomenal - discussion of consciousness is illusory. +* Consciousness is a strange and unnecessary pituitary gland function. \ No newline at end of file