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Comment by Jaeson on How An Algorithm Feels From Inside · 2011-06-02T21:23:49.940Z · LW · GW

Most of this is about word-association, multiple definitions of worlds, or not enough words to describe the situation.

In this case, a far more complicated Network setup would be required to describe the neural activity. Not only would you need the Network you have, but you would also need a second (or intermediate) network connecting sensory perceptions with certain words, and then yet another (or extended) network connecting those words with memory and cognitive associations with those words in the past. You could go on and on, by then also including the other words linked to those cognitive associations (and then the words associated with those, etc., etc.) In truth, even then, it would probably a far-more simplistic and less-connected view than what is truly occuring in the brain.

What is occuring (90% of the time) with the "Tree argument" is multiple definitions (and associations) for one word. For instance, let's say 'quot' was a well-known English word for accoustic vibrations. Being a single word, with no other definitions, no one would ever (even when thinking) mistake it with the subjective experience of sound. People wouldn't ask 'If a tree falls, when no one is there, does it make a quot', because everyone would instantly associate the word 'quot' with the vibrations that must be made, and can be proven to exist, with or without people to listen to them (unless you are one of the few who claim the vibrations (or quots) do not exist, either). People also, then, would not ask if the tree made a sound, either, because they would instantly link the word 'sound' with the subjective experience, as the word would have no competing definition any longer (unless you are someone who claims the subjective experience of sound would still exist, even without a person [I've never met such a person, but chances are, they're out there]).

As for the question of whether or not it is a blegg, this is example is mostly true to what your saying, though word-associate for the colors 'blue' and 'red' would also play a role. The word 'Blegg' has three of the letters 'blue' has, and thus people would probably be inclined to call something that looks blue a 'blegg' when given the choice. As for a 'Rube', this word has three letters and would be similiar in pronounciation to 'Ruby'. This, also, would cause people to be more likely say something is a 'Rube' if it is red, rather than if it was blue.

As for the question of Pluto being a planet (besides cultural bias by people who grew-up calling it one), the argument lies in not enough people knowing the true definition (or else no set definition) of the word. From my understanding, planets are defined as things big-enough to move a certain amount of other things around it in space. The evidence long-ago showed that Pluto could do this, so it was called a planet. But now, the evidence says that Pluto cannot do this, so it is not a planet. If people asked 'Is Pluto big-enough to move things?', the debate (if you could call it that) would be much different. People have known Pluto isn't a 'planet' for years, but only when they discovered the dwarf planet 'Eris' did they decide Pluto would have to go, or else books would soon be saying our Solar System had eleven planets (two of which actually being dwarf ones).

All of that being said, I enjoyed your writing very much, and agreed with much of it.