And even if you assumed that Einstein’s genius was unique, how could celebrity (of all things) be a function of that? (If Einstein had had a different hairdo...)
Meta_and_Meta
Karma: 48
How can we possibly move on when there are still people who are wrong on the Internet?
Here’s an argument related to Eliezer’s point about the need to have a substantive model of consciousness before you can model removing it from the world:
Consider a hypothetical person, call him “Al.” On the assumptions of property dualism, Al comprises or instantiates certain “formal” natural properties Φ and certain “intrinsic” natural properties Ψ.
The property dualist postulates that Φ and Ψ are necessary and sufficient conditions for consciousness.
Yet we can “clearly and distinctly” conceive of zombie-Al, who is a duplicate of Al in respect of both Φ and Ψ, but who is nonetheless phenomenally void.
Thus, we are right back where we were before Ψ was even posited. Therefore, Ψ is theoretically vacuous.
Imagine a minimally complete physical duplicate of our cosmos. (So, e.g., the earth travels round the sun consistent with Keplar’s laws, etc.) But: There’s no gravity.
On behaviorism, I always liked Morgenbesser’s alleged remark to Skinner: “Let me see if I understand your thesis. You think we shouldn’t anthropomorphize people?”
Finally someone has come up with a word for those awful people.
Make it zero dimensions and call it a “day.” All else is Maya.