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Information systems

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Information systems

StaticAge
Fearless Vampire Killer

Usergroup: Members
Joined: Feb 18, 2009

Total Topics: 5
Total Posts: 298

Posted 06/01/09 - 12:01 PM: Subject: Information systems	#1
I can understand to some extent the leap from monism to dualism, given that the monism leaves out some important X which is nonetheless real. I don't necessarily follow you into the dualism, but I agree that the monism may not explain it all. But I don't get the idea behind why information bearing systems might need conscious experience extended to them. Information bearing systems only bear information insofar as I can get information from them, or use them to obtain information. Like I can create a makeshift ruler by running a piece of board next to a painting I made, and then use that to cut a piece of wood. Once I mark the paper, it bears information. But, I can do that with almost anything. I can look out my window and get the information that the sun is out because the field outside my window is brightly visible and bears that information to me. I do not see how information can be born in the abstract- it seems like in all instances, except for the ones where we have no idea how it works (like in other minds, like cats and cows and men and women), information is only real insofar as a conscious being can understand it. Like Wittgenstein once illustrated that a clump of trees does not normally convey information unless there is a sort of established code or proposition made about them. But it seems to me that the problem of consciousness is the very fact that we can create a proposition or use the world in order to do something else in the first place. Do you have a paper or a reference that can help me understand where you are coming from or point out where I misunderstand you?
"All that your hand finds to do, do with your very power, for there is no work nor devising nor knowledge nor wisdom in Sheol, the place to which you are going." -Ecclesiastes 9:10 "Overpower, overcome." -The Cro-Mags

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