Eliezer seems to believe that self-reflection or some other component of selfhood is necessary for the existence of the qualia of pain or suffering. A lot of people believe this simply because they use the word “consciousness” to refer to both (and 40 other things besides). I don’t know if Eliezer is making such a basic mistake, but I’m not sure why else he would believe that selfhood is necessary for suffering
I strongly support this. If you are going to explain-away qualia as the result of having a self-model, you need to do more than note that they occur together , or that “conscious” could mean either.
I strongly support this. If you are going to explain-away qualia as the result of having a self-model, you need to do more than note that they occur together , or that “conscious” could mean either.