Comments on: Surveying Loose Talk http://ethics-etc.com/2009/09/19/surveying-loose-talk/ A forum for discussing contemporary philosophical issues in ethics and related areas Sat, 27 Feb 2010 20:16:48 +0000 hourly 1 By: Jacob Mack http://ethics-etc.com/2009/09/19/surveying-loose-talk/comment-page-1/#comment-2329 Jacob Mack Sat, 26 Sep 2009 23:13:30 +0000 http://ethics-etc.com/2009/09/19/surveying-loose-talk/#comment-2329 I believe that whenever loose talk is the topic of conversation we run into a self obfuscation if we are not able to agree on some convention. I would say the robot did not see anything until the robot is self aware of an experience of red...like the lady who is an expert on color perception but has been living in a room, for her entire life without color, until one day she leaves out through the front door and sees a red flower for the first time.The woman has a conscious experience. I believe that whenever loose talk is the topic of conversation we run into a self obfuscation if we are not able to agree on some convention. I would say the robot did not see anything until the robot is self aware of an experience of red…like the lady who is an expert on color perception but has been living in a room, for her entire life without color, until one day she leaves out through the front door and sees a red flower for the first time.The woman has a conscious experience.

]]> By: The Daily Reviewer http://ethics-etc.com/2009/09/19/surveying-loose-talk/comment-page-1/#comment-2327 The Daily Reviewer Mon, 21 Sep 2009 08:57:14 +0000 http://ethics-etc.com/2009/09/19/surveying-loose-talk/#comment-2327 Hi! Congratulations! Your readers have submitted and voted for your blog at The Daily Reviewer. We compiled an exclusive list of the Top 100 Philosophy Blogs, and we are glad to let you know that your blog was included! You can see it at http://thedailyreviewer.com/top/philosophy You can claim your Top 100 Blogs Award here : http://thedailyreviewer.com/pages/badges/philosophy P.S. This is a one-time notice to let you know your blog was included in one of our Top 100 Blog categories. You might get notices if you are listed in two or more categories. P.P.S. If for some reason you want your blog removed from our list, just send an email to angelina@thedailyreviewer.com with the subject line "REMOVE" and the link to your blog in the body of the message. Cheers! Angelina Mizaki Selection Committee President The Daily Reviewer http://thedailyreviewer.com Hi!

Congratulations! Your readers have submitted and voted for your blog at The Daily Reviewer. We compiled an exclusive list of the Top 100 Philosophy Blogs, and we are glad to let you know that your blog was included! You can see it at http://thedailyreviewer.com/top/philosophy

You can claim your Top 100 Blogs Award here : http://thedailyreviewer.com/pa.....philosophy

P.S. This is a one-time notice to let you know your blog was included in one of our Top 100 Blog categories. You might get notices if you are listed in two or more categories.

P.P.S. If for some reason you want your blog removed from our list, just send an email to angelina@thedailyreviewer.com with the subject line “REMOVE” and the link to your blog in the body of the message.

Cheers!

Angelina Mizaki
Selection Committee President
The Daily Reviewer
http://thedailyreviewer.com

]]> By: Dara Conn http://ethics-etc.com/2009/09/19/surveying-loose-talk/comment-page-1/#comment-2326 Dara Conn Sun, 20 Sep 2009 15:42:27 +0000 http://ethics-etc.com/2009/09/19/surveying-loose-talk/#comment-2326 "When Jimmy grasped the red box, however, it gave him a strong electric shock. He let go of the box and moved away from it. He did not try to move the box again. Did Jimmy feel pain when he was shocked?" Unlike the survey respondents, I would say the robot did not (necessarily) "see" red, but did (possibly) feel pain. The survey leaves open the question of why the robot reacted in the way it ("he") did to the electric shock. Ordinarily, we can safely assume that a "simple" robot does not feel pain. But this robot's behavioural reaction to the stimulus is what we might expect of a human or animal. The reason for this is unexplained, but one possible explanation (in what is, after all, a fictional scenario) is that the robot does in fact feel pain. “When Jimmy grasped the red box, however, it gave him a strong electric shock. He let go of the box and moved away from it. He did not try to move the box again. Did Jimmy feel pain when he was shocked?”

Unlike the survey respondents, I would say the robot did not (necessarily) “see” red, but did (possibly) feel pain.

The survey leaves open the question of why the robot reacted in the way it (“he”) did to the electric shock. Ordinarily, we can safely assume that a “simple” robot does not feel pain. But this robot’s behavioural reaction to the stimulus is what we might expect of a human or animal. The reason for this is unexplained, but one possible explanation (in what is, after all, a fictional scenario) is that the robot does in fact feel pain.

]]> By: Justin Sytsma http://ethics-etc.com/2009/09/19/surveying-loose-talk/comment-page-1/#comment-2323 Justin Sytsma Sat, 19 Sep 2009 22:42:23 +0000 http://ethics-etc.com/2009/09/19/surveying-loose-talk/#comment-2323 Hi Antti: Just a note that I've posted a response to the copy of this post on the Experimental Philosophy blog. If you would prefer to have the conversation, here, though I'm happy to move it :-) Hi Antti: Just a note that I’ve posted a response to the copy of this post on the Experimental Philosophy blog. If you would prefer to have the conversation, here, though I’m happy to move it :-)

]]> By: Antti Kauppinen http://ethics-etc.com/2009/09/19/surveying-loose-talk/comment-page-1/#comment-2322 Antti Kauppinen Sat, 19 Sep 2009 20:12:31 +0000 http://ethics-etc.com/2009/09/19/surveying-loose-talk/#comment-2322 Incidentally, I tried to post the basic points as a comment on the X-phi blog, but hit some technical glitch. The same happened when I tried to post a link to this. Hope some experimentalists find their way here anyway! Incidentally, I tried to post the basic points as a comment on the X-phi blog, but hit some technical glitch. The same happened when I tried to post a link to this. Hope some experimentalists find their way here anyway!

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