Confessions of a Conservative Atheist
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Based on the latest research, we can continue to maintain that sentience, and the higher order consciousness that springs from it in humans, is the most widespread accident in the history of life, completely unnecessary, but somehow omnipresent, or we can reject that view and assume it serves a deep evolutionary purpose. Thought experiments can… Continue reading The evolution of consciousness and the omnipresence of sentience
Can octopuses feel pain and pleasure? What about crabs, shrimp, insects, and spiders? The phrase “thought provoking” is frequently overused, but Professor Jonathan Birch’s new book on animal sentience and what we can do about it deserves the accolade and then some. When I was asked to review an advance copy of Professor Jonathan… Continue reading The Edge of Sentience and the beauty of being wrong
Lily gave up a treat she loved because dinner was bigger and better, but now she doesn’t get the treat at all – and she doesn’t even realize it. Lest you think I am picking on poor dogs, there are likely many, many people out there that suffer from a similar phenomenon. Most dogs are… Continue reading An aging coonhound’s bizarre behavior and a lesson for all of us
According to some experts, everything is sentient these days, from computers to honey bees, but this is a radical redefinition of a term once applied to humans and perhaps a few of our close relatives. Sentience used to require awareness and understanding. Suddenly, merely adaptive behavior will do as activists start calling for insect rights,… Continue reading The insanity of claiming everything is sentient and the collective delusions of modern scientists
After a Google engineer declares the company’s latest creation is a conscious and sentient machine, The Washington Post claims the Turing Test for Artificial Intelligence is broken, measuring merely deception. Both are incorrect in different ways as Turing’s genius remains applicable and relevant. Last month, The Washington Post proclaimed that Google’s latest natural language software,… Continue reading No, Google’s LaMDA isn’t sentient and didn’t pass the Turing Test
Confessions of a Conservative Atheist 