Hi Banjo ; But there's a difference between self-awareness on the one hand ; and mere programming or mechanical functionality on the other. The point is that its a qualitative difference ; and not merely a quantitative difference.

Tristan. It seems to me a Christian must believe in the resurrection of Jesus as a non-negotiable. Without the resurrection you are left with Christ as one of any number of Jewish messiahs. From the resurrection belief other beliefs can follow – forgiveness from sin and everlasting life. A Christian who believes in heaven and hell is essentially saying that every human being is immortal (in the sense that death is simply a transition stage where you reach a judgement by God – heaven or hell).
These three core beliefs – resurrection, forgiveness (through Jesus – there is no other way) and everlasting life, must be held by someone professing their Christianity.
And that’s where it gets hard for an irreligious person. Acceptance of the three beliefs must involve a “leap of faith”. You cannot use your ability to reason out a ‘proof’ to support any of the beliefs.
As an atheist, when I’m ever asked (rarely) what it will be like after I die, I reply: it will be just like it was before I was born.

Our thoughts and prayers are with your family and friends Alan B. I'm sorry for your loss and for theirs.

Alan
Do you mean you have family who died ? Then I offer my sympathy and good wishes to you.

But this is not the right thing to say:

"But no. Instead I hold nicknamenick/his like minded "green" friends personally responsible for every life lost, every humble hovel flattened.

Why?

Because this depopulation event, while obviously excluding them, is part of a long range goal hidden agenda!

And why this creature, dogs my electronic trail! Trying to bury thorium, along with my friends and family!"

You are wrong to blame me for the weather . Wrong to say I caused death. And wrong to say I bury Thorium. For weeks I've tried to point out the obvious fact that Thorium is not yet commercial or even designed so no-one can declare the price of its electricity . I've never opposed the principle , just your illogical repetitious falsity. Your lack of comprehension may explain your Thorium posts but can't excuse your claim about my guilt for deaths. That is verging on your making criminal accusations and public libel.

NNM Completely disingenuous to claim thorium unproven, was tried and tested at Oak Ridge, but even though possible, never ever ALLOWED to generate an erg of electricity!

Nor has the conventional reactor ("unproven technology") at lucas heights, even though we could, just as we could from a carbon copy of the successfully trialled Oak Ridge reactor.

As for my assertions? I rely on experts in the field and prize winning investigative Journalism, Richard Martin's, for my fact checking.

Next thing we know you'll be telling us that NASA scientist and nuclear technologist, Kirk Sorensen, is clueless about thorium, or Ivy League Professor (ret) Economist Robert Hargreaves knows less than you, even though the author of peer reviewed, Thorium cheaper than coal. And it's his claim that the estimated median would be $00.1.98 PKH. Quote unquote.

Without question, your goal here has to sabotage any genuine inquiry into thorium, even though we can reliably extrapolate, that one ton of thorium burned in a LFTR, will produce a much energy as 2551 tons of uranium, burned in a light water reactor!

Indisputably, you and your ilk care nothing for the impoverished world or the conflict created by climate change/displaced people!

We don't have thorium, because the nuclear scientists in our parliaments have ruled it out!

Oh, what's that?

Our parliaments between them, have no scientists in their ranks! But need to get their science elsewhere and even when sound?

Often ignored due to the ideological imperative, yours? Or countervailing commercial interests?

Wind farms need to turn for thirty years plus, to offset the carbon created in their manufacture and don't get me started n the amount of toxic waste solar voltaic has already imposed on the environment; and for centuries to come! And too expensive for two thirds of the world or the downtrodden poor!

As for libel, the recoverable record will show you've been dogging my electronic trail for weeks, with mischievous vexatious mischief designed, I believe, to BURY thorium! Without which the poor of this world have just two chances, buckley's and none! Ditto the carbon ravaged environment!
Alan B.

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Dear Tristan,

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You wrote :

« But there's a difference between self-awareness on the one hand ; and mere programming or mechanical functionality on the other »

I was not commenting on “self-awareness”, Tristan. I was commenting on the question you posed in your article, i.e., « how to explain consciousness? »

I wrote that, according to the OED definition of “consciousness” (“the state of being aware of and responsive to one's surroundings”) : « even robots such as modern “automatic” vacuum cleaners may be said to possess a basic form of “consciousness” as they detect and avoid obstacles they encounter whilst vacuuming the floor ».

Research in robotics is still in its infancy but it is advancing swiftly. I see no reason to exclude the possibility that we may eventually develop robots that are also capable of some form of self-consciousness.

If you know of any good reason, I should be grateful if you would share it with me.
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Whilst writing, there are a few other comments I should like to make. The first relates to your comment to David F on page 4 of this thread : “The Vatican tried diplomatic measures with Hitler it's true”. If you don’t mind my saying so, I find that a bit of an understatement. My understanding is that Hitler would probably not have succeeded in obtaining his dictatorial powers without the active assistance of the Vatican (Pope Pius XI and his Cardinal Secretary of State, Eugenio Pacelli, who later became Pope Pius XII). Following the signing of the Catholic concordat by Pacelli with Nazi Germany in 1933 :

« In the early days of the Weimar Republic, the Catholic Center Party was the second-largest party in the Reichstag. After the Reichstag Fire in early 1933, the Catholic Centre Party voted for the Enabling Act, which granted dictatorial powers to Adolf Hitler. By this vote, the Catholic Centre Party effectively destroyed itself, as the Nazi Party became the only legally permitted party in the country shortly thereafter » (Wikipedia).

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(Continued …)

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