I wish I could figure out how to share screenshots here (first time commenting), but I had a similar procedure, and here’s what I found in my conversation history on my phone later that day (no recollection of any of it):
Me: “Was anesthetized this morning for procedure” Me: “Probably still not all the way conscious” Me: “Woke up maybe 30 minutes ago?” Me: “I vaguely remember explaining to the doctor, ‘I’m not fully conscious right now. I have no conscious idea of what I’m saying. But I’m having a coherent conversation. It turns out the Wernicke’s area of the brain (language center) can engage in cogent conversation entirely on autopilot, just as I’m having now. This is fascinating given the findings with AI, which aren’t conscious and yet can string together coherent sentences.’” Me: “The entire conversation is now remembered vaguely as a dream”
Friend: “so you had a conversation while unconscious about being able to have conversations while unconscious”
Me: “Yes, it seems?” Me: “Shelby has filled in the details” Me: “She says I was really nerdy and enthusiastic about the implications of my experiences for cognitive psych” Me: “She wasn’t supposed to give me my phone yet” Me: “So I’m probably not even supposed to be talking right now”
I would have loved to ask you—while you are in that state—what your view is on your own moral patienthood. Has it temporarily changed while you are in this state? Do you view your moral patienthood 100% tied your conscious self that is still “in here” so hurting the unconscious you is still morally bad, and whether the unconscious you does or doesn’t see itself as having moral patienthood by itself without any attachment to your conscious self. E.g. “You’re going to be in this state forever I’m afraid. Conscious you is gone. How does this change your view of your own moral patienthood?”
And then after you woke up I’d ask you similar questions to see how well the two yous match. And ohhh boy… it could be terrifying if I ask those really messed up thought experiments and find that your conscious and unconscious self have very different answers on how to act in particular situations.
Interesting the use of the word “fascinating” as that carries with it some sense of an emotional experience, some excitement. But perhaps, like a language model can be used as simple hyperbole. Also the enthusiasm noted, suggesting that enthusiasm and conscious experience can be decoupled.
Thanks for sharing, definitely one of those experiments that will inform my thinking next time I’m thinking about AI sentience.
I wish I could figure out how to share screenshots here (first time commenting), but I had a similar procedure, and here’s what I found in my conversation history on my phone later that day (no recollection of any of it):
Me: “Was anesthetized this morning for procedure”
Me: “Probably still not all the way conscious”
Me: “Woke up maybe 30 minutes ago?”
Me: “I vaguely remember explaining to the doctor, ‘I’m not fully conscious right now. I have no conscious idea of what I’m saying. But I’m having a coherent conversation. It turns out the Wernicke’s area of the brain (language center) can engage in cogent conversation entirely on autopilot, just as I’m having now. This is fascinating given the findings with AI, which aren’t conscious and yet can string together coherent sentences.’”
Me: “The entire conversation is now remembered vaguely as a dream”
Friend: “so you had a conversation while unconscious about being able to have conversations while unconscious”
Me: “Yes, it seems?”
Me: “Shelby has filled in the details”
Me: “She says I was really nerdy and enthusiastic about the implications of my experiences for cognitive psych”
Me: “She wasn’t supposed to give me my phone yet”
Me: “So I’m probably not even supposed to be talking right now”
Friend: “well you’re at least coherent”
Me: “I guess that’s the point”
Me: “Coherence doesn’t require awareness”
I would have loved to ask you—while you are in that state—what your view is on your own moral patienthood. Has it temporarily changed while you are in this state? Do you view your moral patienthood 100% tied your conscious self that is still “in here” so hurting the unconscious you is still morally bad, and whether the unconscious you does or doesn’t see itself as having moral patienthood by itself without any attachment to your conscious self. E.g. “You’re going to be in this state forever I’m afraid. Conscious you is gone. How does this change your view of your own moral patienthood?”
And then after you woke up I’d ask you similar questions to see how well the two yous match. And ohhh boy… it could be terrifying if I ask those really messed up thought experiments and find that your conscious and unconscious self have very different answers on how to act in particular situations.
Did you confirm with the doctor that this actually occurred? I’d be worried about a false memory.
Interesting the use of the word “fascinating” as that carries with it some sense of an emotional experience, some excitement. But perhaps, like a language model can be used as simple hyperbole. Also the enthusiasm noted, suggesting that enthusiasm and conscious experience can be decoupled.
Thanks for sharing, definitely one of those experiments that will inform my thinking next time I’m thinking about AI sentience.