Is the Sun Conscious? (2021) [pdf]

mattmaroon wrote: post #3

CyberDildonics wrote: post #2

I think that's enough hacker news for today.

Ha! Now “is the universe conscious” is a real question.

“We are the universe experiencing itself”… so technically, yes?

Re: Is the Sun Conscious? (2021) [pdf]

#7

Post by FrustratedMonky » Fri, Mar 29, 2024, 2:35 AM UTC

I'm sympathetic to this view.

But this paper relies heavily on IIT, and I thought there was some posts on HN recently from Scott Aaronson that had disproven IIT?

I checked Aaronson's web site and can't find the paper on discussing why IIT wont work.

Edit: Found it https://scottaaronson.blog/?p=1799

Re: Is the Sun Conscious? (2021) [pdf]

#8

Post by andsoitis » Fri, Mar 29, 2024, 2:35 AM UTC

> self-organizing systems at all levels of complexity, including stars and galaxies, might have experience, awareness, or consciousness.

It must be terrifying if you're a galactic entity and have experience, awareness, and consciousness, but no autonomy w.r.t. movement, trapped in a trillion-year path that you cannot escape.

Re: Is the Sun Conscious? (2021) [pdf]

#9

Post by saulpw » Fri, Mar 29, 2024, 2:37 AM UTC

andsoitis wrote: post #8

> self-organizing systems at all levels of complexity, including stars and galaxies, might have experience, awareness, or consciousness. It must be terrifying if you're a galactic entity and have experience, awareness, and consciousness, but no autonomy w.r.t. movement, trapped in a trillion-year path that you cannot escape.

But at least there's no one else around to bother you.

Re: Is the Sun Conscious? (2021) [pdf]

#10

Post by lakeshastina » Fri, Mar 29, 2024, 2:39 AM UTC

andsoitis wrote: post #8

> self-organizing systems at all levels of complexity, including stars and galaxies, might have experience, awareness, or consciousness. It must be terrifying if you're a galactic entity and have experience, awareness, and consciousness, but no autonomy w.r.t. movement, trapped in a trillion-year path that you cannot escape.

Without the concept of free will in humans, which many now accept as a possibility, what would be the fundamental difference between an entity such as the sun, a plant and a human? None, except the lifespan.