of the internet and intelligence

[Bo]

So the follow-up questions are-

At what point can we fairly say the internet is a conscious entity? What behaviors would it have to display to be considered conscious, by our definition?

I don't think we would ever notice it if the internet became 'conscious' (whatever that may mean). In the same way that your neurons would never realize that they make up our consciousness. Consciousness is imho almost by definition a property that becomes only visible on macro-scales.

A shot for a definition of consciousness:
A conscious being:
1) has thoughts and/or perceptions
2) Is aware that these thoughts/perceptions belong to him

I'm not to happy with this definitio, but I don't know how to alter it. the ability to act, or to have free will doesn't seem crucial to me. As for the internet: it certainly obeys 1), (in the form of information) but obeying 2) seems difficult..

if the logic is that complexity breeds consciousness, what level of complexity is necessary? Complexity is a human perception, and I also think consciousness is a human perception. Arguably, cities and weather are also complex systems which display properties similar to consciousness. Is it fair to say they're alive too?

If you mean by alive: 'evolving according to complex patterns' (or something like that) I would say yes.

[LMNO]

I feel that if the Internet ever became concious, it would only recognize conciousness in another internet.

That is, it would, or could, only recognize an communicate something of it's own kind.

[Cramulus]

tangent   ---

oooh ooh that's just what Hegel would say...

that self-awareness best arises through interaction with the Other.

By going "that's not me," (towards another intelligence) you better understand what IS me.

[rottencod]

i AM the internet, and i am as brain-dead as the fish on my head.

[Triple Zero]

one problem with that is that, if there would ever be two internets, and they would be communicating with eachother, they would for all intents and purposes, be one internet.

where'd you draw the line?

maybe the internet is already split up into several entities

[LMNO]

[mystic]
Or maybe, all our minds are One Mind.
[/mystic]

[tyrannosaurus vex]

oh god somebody stop this freight train.

DAMN YOU CRAMULUS

[Triple Zero]

LMNO, i sorta literally went "unnnng" at that remark you know, i'll just assume you were kidding. (also i'm hungry that doesn't help)

i was serious about if you were to take two internets, and connect them up, you'd end up with one, bigger, internet.

[Cramulus]

So here's what we do

we take Bugs Bunny, dress him up as a GIRL internet, and have him seduce the first internet. Then, just as he's becoming self aware, we hit him with a barstool





--unrelated--
there's also an idea out there that the internet is really just an extension of the human mind. Some say the next step in the development of human consciousness is where we all join a gigantic hive mind so we can share information. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noosphere

[Triple Zero]

we take Bugs Bunny, dress him up as a GIRL internet, and have him seduce the first internet. Then, just as he's becoming self aware, we hit him with a barstool

[B_M_W]

do your neurons know that your brain is a conscious entity?

if they do, is your brain aware that they do?

Great question... I was pondering this alongside the "are cities alive?" question. If we're just  red blood cells carrying money (read: nutrients) along the veins and capillaries (highways and streets) to the tissue (corporations) of the real entity (the city), then would the city consider us independent entities? Do we consider our red blood cells independent entities?

It's entirely possible that aliens will arrive and want to talk to the macroscopic beings on our planet, like NYC, the economy, or the Internet, and will totally ignore the little fleshbags which carry its shit around.

The things that I have general cringiness at are outlined in bold. It generally deals with not understanding the function of certain workings of biology. Theres more, but I thought this post would be a good example.

Still, I respect most of the comparisons and the philosophical discussion. I'll keep this to myself.

[Triple Zero]

ok that made me cringe a littlebit as well (sorry vex)

[tyrannosaurus vex]

it was a rhetorical question.

after all, if i am being asked to allow this metaphor to travel in one direction, it's fair for me to expect it to travel in the other direction, isn't it?

[Triple Zero]

point.

the answer is still no, though

[P3nT4gR4m]

[mystic]
Or maybe, all our minds are One Mind.
[/mystic]

*puts finger to lips and says SHHHHHHHH!*