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A comment on The Peer-to-Peer Simulation Hypothesis. Parent comment

Re:The Peer-to-Peer Simulation Hypothesis by AnIdiotOnTheNet on Wednesday April 28, 2021 @09:32AM (#26969134)
One solution to that is to assert that consciousness itself is the "outside" universe and what we perceive as reality is more like a communication protocol conscious entities use to interact with each other. I think this is similar to what Donald Hoffman talks about: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_D._Hoffman
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Re:The Peer-to-Peer Simulation Hypothesis by Sanzig on Wednesday April 28, 2021 @09:50AM (#26969336)
The straightforward solution is to simply reject dualism and accept physicalism. There is no scientific evidence pointing to the mind being anything other than an emergent property of the structure of the neurons in the brain.

It doesn't matter if that structure is made up of "real matter" or simulated matter running in a computer: the emergent result is the same. A simulation hypothesis is not needed to resolve the mind-body problem - presumably, intelligent life can evolve just as readily in a simulated universe as a real one.

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Re:The Peer-to-Peer Simulation Hypothesis by AnIdiotOnTheNet on Wednesday April 28, 2021 @09:56AM (#26969414)
> There is no scientific evidence pointing to the mind being anything other than an emergent property of the structure of the neurons in the brain.

The mind, no, but the mind isn't what we talk about in this context when we talk about 'consciousness'. Alpha Go has a mind, but does it have a conscious experience of being? How many neurons are required for that?

That said, I agree that a simulation hypothesis is not necessary to resolve the 'problem' and, as far as I am concerned, the problem only exists because people insist on believing that they are more special than the rest of the world around them.

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Re:The Peer-to-Peer Simulation Hypothesis by vidarh on Wednesday April 28, 2021 @10:00AM (#26969464)
The problem with this is the same as that of the paper: It just gives rise to infinite regress. You've answered one question but created a new one of how consciousness works in the "outside" universe that has no better solution.
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