AI (weak vs. strong)
Weak
● Philosophical stance
● Computers can simulate the mind but don’t show true intelligence/thinking
Strong
● Computers are intelligent just as humans are
● Chess & radiology AI outperforms humans
○ Domain-specific
Altered states of consciousness
● Temporary nature of alterations in representational mechanisms of consciousness
● Textbook
○ Spontaneously → drowsiness, daydreaming, hypnosis, sleep
○ Physically/physiologically induced → starvation, sexual activity, temperature
○ Psychologically induced → sensory deprivation, meditation, hypnosis
○ Disease induced → psychotic disorders, coma, epilepsy
○ Pharmacologically induced
● Laureys (systematic)
○ Arousal (wakefulness → brainstem)
○ Awareness (of self + environment → integrated cortex
○ Dissociative states: sleepwalking, vegetative, seizures)
● Hobson
○ Arousal
○ Input source (internal / external)
○ Mode of processing
■ Ratio of amines : choline
■ Wake : REM sleep
■ Rational : irrational thoughts
● Tart
○ Rationality
○ Hallucinations
Automata
● 18th century hoax (chess)
● Abstract machines that process input things from symbols → accept/reject
Arguments for consciousness in AI
● Biological = no
● Lovelace = no
○ Computers can’t do anything new because they’re preprogrammed
○ Criticism: creative algorithms + evolution + cheating behaviour
● Computationalist = yes
○ Substrate independence
● Consciousness as emergent property = yes
○ Phenomena arise from lower more simple processes
,Behavioural criteria for inferring consciousness in other species
● Self recognition
● Theory of mind
● Imitation
● Language
Binding problem
● Binding features of object while separating them from features of other objects
● Integration + segregation
● Solution: synchronisation of neuronal firing
○ Binds attributes by firing in synchrony
○ Gamma oscillation is the neural correlate of visual awareness
■ Feature binding
■ Short term memory tasks
○ Helps a coalition in the competition for consciousness
Binocular Rivalry
● Different images presented to each eye → perception flipping
● Images compete for consciousness
● Inferior temporal cortex
● Activation = awareness
● Problems
○ Results are only correlational
○ Doesn’t explain how consciousness is generated
Bistable perception
● Stimuli have 2 distinguishable stable forms
● Necker cube → either points up or down
Blindsight
● Seeing without vision
● Patients guessing → correct most of the time
● Cause: carbon monoxide exposure
○ Early visual pathway
● Treatment: sensory substitution
Brain regions related to consciousness
● Brain stem: medulla, pons, midbrain (cardiac, respiratory functions)
● Cerebellum: basal motor + cognitive functions
● Thalamus: relaying information
● Hippocampus: memories
● Amygdala: emotions
● Neocortex: motor + higher sensory functions (especially humans)
Brain measures / methods to record brain activity
● Single cell recordings
, ○ Monkeys → electrodes
○ Pro: zooms into functionality of specific neurons
○ Con: ethics prevent from using in humans
● fMRI
○ Functionality of brain
○ Blood-oxygenation levels in brain areas
○ High oxygen = high activity
○ Pro: non-invasive
● PET
○ Neurochemical communication in brain
○ Specific neurotransmitters
○ Con: invasive (radioactive fluids)
● MEG
○ Magnetic fields in brain
● EEG
○ Brain activity in brain
○ Similar to single cell recordings (electrodes)
○ Pro: non-invasive + can measure neural networks
○ Con: only measures activity on surface of brain
Cartesian Theatre
● All consciously experienced info comes together in the mind/brain
Categories of meditation
● Focused attention
○ Keep focus on specific part of environment
○ Stabilise attention
● Open monitoring
○ Monitor overall field of experience with meta-awareness
○ Approach thoughts in open + receptive + non-judgmental (flowing river)
○ Allows deeper insights in the mind
● Non-dual awareness meditation
○ Absence of self, space, time
○ Beyond subject-object distinction
○ Non-conceptual
Change blindness
● Not noticing difference between two pictures
● Due to brain injury
● Suggests:
○ We don’t have stable view of the world
○ Integration of successive views isn’t necessary
○ Big gap between what we actually see vs what we think we see (illusion)
Chinese room argument
● Biological argument (NO)
Weak
● Philosophical stance
● Computers can simulate the mind but don’t show true intelligence/thinking
Strong
● Computers are intelligent just as humans are
● Chess & radiology AI outperforms humans
○ Domain-specific
Altered states of consciousness
● Temporary nature of alterations in representational mechanisms of consciousness
● Textbook
○ Spontaneously → drowsiness, daydreaming, hypnosis, sleep
○ Physically/physiologically induced → starvation, sexual activity, temperature
○ Psychologically induced → sensory deprivation, meditation, hypnosis
○ Disease induced → psychotic disorders, coma, epilepsy
○ Pharmacologically induced
● Laureys (systematic)
○ Arousal (wakefulness → brainstem)
○ Awareness (of self + environment → integrated cortex
○ Dissociative states: sleepwalking, vegetative, seizures)
● Hobson
○ Arousal
○ Input source (internal / external)
○ Mode of processing
■ Ratio of amines : choline
■ Wake : REM sleep
■ Rational : irrational thoughts
● Tart
○ Rationality
○ Hallucinations
Automata
● 18th century hoax (chess)
● Abstract machines that process input things from symbols → accept/reject
Arguments for consciousness in AI
● Biological = no
● Lovelace = no
○ Computers can’t do anything new because they’re preprogrammed
○ Criticism: creative algorithms + evolution + cheating behaviour
● Computationalist = yes
○ Substrate independence
● Consciousness as emergent property = yes
○ Phenomena arise from lower more simple processes
,Behavioural criteria for inferring consciousness in other species
● Self recognition
● Theory of mind
● Imitation
● Language
Binding problem
● Binding features of object while separating them from features of other objects
● Integration + segregation
● Solution: synchronisation of neuronal firing
○ Binds attributes by firing in synchrony
○ Gamma oscillation is the neural correlate of visual awareness
■ Feature binding
■ Short term memory tasks
○ Helps a coalition in the competition for consciousness
Binocular Rivalry
● Different images presented to each eye → perception flipping
● Images compete for consciousness
● Inferior temporal cortex
● Activation = awareness
● Problems
○ Results are only correlational
○ Doesn’t explain how consciousness is generated
Bistable perception
● Stimuli have 2 distinguishable stable forms
● Necker cube → either points up or down
Blindsight
● Seeing without vision
● Patients guessing → correct most of the time
● Cause: carbon monoxide exposure
○ Early visual pathway
● Treatment: sensory substitution
Brain regions related to consciousness
● Brain stem: medulla, pons, midbrain (cardiac, respiratory functions)
● Cerebellum: basal motor + cognitive functions
● Thalamus: relaying information
● Hippocampus: memories
● Amygdala: emotions
● Neocortex: motor + higher sensory functions (especially humans)
Brain measures / methods to record brain activity
● Single cell recordings
, ○ Monkeys → electrodes
○ Pro: zooms into functionality of specific neurons
○ Con: ethics prevent from using in humans
● fMRI
○ Functionality of brain
○ Blood-oxygenation levels in brain areas
○ High oxygen = high activity
○ Pro: non-invasive
● PET
○ Neurochemical communication in brain
○ Specific neurotransmitters
○ Con: invasive (radioactive fluids)
● MEG
○ Magnetic fields in brain
● EEG
○ Brain activity in brain
○ Similar to single cell recordings (electrodes)
○ Pro: non-invasive + can measure neural networks
○ Con: only measures activity on surface of brain
Cartesian Theatre
● All consciously experienced info comes together in the mind/brain
Categories of meditation
● Focused attention
○ Keep focus on specific part of environment
○ Stabilise attention
● Open monitoring
○ Monitor overall field of experience with meta-awareness
○ Approach thoughts in open + receptive + non-judgmental (flowing river)
○ Allows deeper insights in the mind
● Non-dual awareness meditation
○ Absence of self, space, time
○ Beyond subject-object distinction
○ Non-conceptual
Change blindness
● Not noticing difference between two pictures
● Due to brain injury
● Suggests:
○ We don’t have stable view of the world
○ Integration of successive views isn’t necessary
○ Big gap between what we actually see vs what we think we see (illusion)
Chinese room argument
● Biological argument (NO)
