I have some news for you

......

[walkman]

"You, your joys and your sorrows, your memories and your ambitions, your sense of personal identity and free will, are in fact no more than the behavior of a vast assembly of nerve cells and their associated molecules" :)

agree or disagree?

[lawman]

All answers must comply with the Foo Charter [webmasterworld.com].

[anax]

"no more than"

Funny how those three little words can rile people up. Take 'em out and ask the question again - see if the answer is the same.

[encyclo]

... or replace "in fact no more than" with "quite amazingly". ;)

[Stefan]

All answers must comply with the Foo Charter.

"You, your joys and your sorrows, your memories and your ambitions, your sense of personal identity and free will, are in fact no more than the behavior of a vast assembly of nerve cells and their associated molecules" :)

I would suggest that the internet is not only analogous to, but is essentially a digital extension of, the "vast assembly of nerve cells and their associated molecules".

agree or disagree?

Agree.

[grandpa]

disagree.

I didn't read the Foo Charter. I hope that answer is ok.

[jecasc]

Agree. And this is proven everytime I get drunk...

[ap_Rhys]

But where do the pink elephants come from?

[Essex_boy]

so?

[Frequent]

8

[Syzygy]

Agree... disagree...

Oh yes, indeed - absolutely...

[Lilliabeth]

no more than the behavior of a vast assembly of nerve cells and their associated molecules

So it has nothing to do with the direction of the wind?

[kaled]

Agree, but the possibility exists that all those nerve cells, etc. are merely an interface between what we call the physical world and, well, something else.

Kaled.

[theBear]

42

[victor]

Is your reason for asking no more than the behavior of a vast assembly of nerve cells and their associated molecules?

And, if so, would you consider my answer to be generated from the same basis?

[HughMungus]

All answers must comply with the Foo Charter.

In that spirit, my answer is a question: Could a human mind be replicated by a computer and/or network of computers? I've always wondered (as I'm sure many of you have), "Could a human-like consciousness be created with computers?" I think it could if you had a computer that had the desires to learn, survive, reproduce, etc. that worked as fast as a human brain does. If it thinks like a duck and talks like a duck, is it a duck? If not, why not? It really brings to the fore the questions of what is consciousness, what does it mean to be "a person" etc. etc.

To answer the original question: I don't know. It's not something I worry about because I'm a humanist; my main concern in life is the human condition, not philosophical or esoteric questions and answers.

[Leosghost]

it's all just "noise" made by zygotes ..the gametes are the important ones ..no nerve cells there ..

or maybe ..

I think ..therefore it all is ..

the doors of perception ..cute book ..

electric koolaid ..helps to wash the fish down :)

lysergic acid diethylamide ..washes away the maya

[Old_Honky]

All answers must comply with the Foo Charter.

This is NOT a forum for religious, political, or nationalistic discussion, sexually-charged jokes, debates, flames, gender wars, or personal crusades.

(My enboldenment)

As this thread is becoming a debate regretfully I am able to contribute very little as I wish to comply with the said charter.

My answer is "agree". That's what the random collisions of neurons in what passes for a brain told me to say (it is Tuesday after all)

BTW Happy mid winter festival everybody! (no mention of the "R" word or the "C" word so I think I got away with that one)

[Frequent]

theBear,

Sorry but your information is outdated. The answer is now 8. Please upgrade to:

what_is_the_meaning_of_life_version2.0

Freq---

[ska_demon]

"You, your joys and your sorrows, your memories and your ambitions, your sense of personal identity and free will, are in fact no more than the behavior of a vast assembly of nerve cells and their associated molecules"

I agree except I think the majority of my nerve cells and molecules are broken which has led me to rely on my computer to think for me.

Ska

[2by4]

"I can't explain myself, I'm afraid, Sir, because I'm not myself, you see."
"I don't see."
"I'm afraid I can't put it more clearly."

[Essex_boy]

Some times I wonder about you lot..... I just hope its not catching

[ap_Rhys]

I just hope its not catching

You're first in line for the avian flu in Essex - all those migrating birds.

[Leosghost]

In Essex ..it's Tuna that migrates .."Del" will explain ;)

[2by4]

"I just hope its not catching"

Just what I tell myself when I spend too much time on the search forums.

[MatthewHSE]

Disagree. You can't explain the human will through chemical processes.

[theBear]

Frequent,

2by4 might object, he may own the IP on variations of 8. Thinking about it probably on 42 as well. Therefore the answer must be 3.

Darn, a woodland critter just can't win these days, well it is time to head to the cave for a long winter's nap.

[2by4]

theBear, obviously if I own the IP on 8, and it's derivative works, I also own 2 and 4. Or perhaps, it wouuld be more accurate to say, that since I own 2 and 4, I clearly also own 8. And since 2 and 4 equal 6, I clearly also own 3, which would be a derivative work of 6. I'm not clear on the status of 5 however, but it does seem that since 2 and 3 is 5, I can make a fairly solid claim on it. However, the 1 I have not been able to aquire full rights to, nor 0, which of course we can debate all night and day if it's actually a number or not, but since debates are against foo tos, I'll yield 0.

Be that as it may, you'll be hearing from my attorneys. Now if you'd gone with a larger prime number you might have been in better shape. Obviously not 17, since that brings us back to 8, which is simply 2 x 4. Maybe it is best to sleep on it.

Matthew, a question can't be answered if it doesn't have any real meaning and assumes the conclusion as given, might as well be friday's word games. I'll stick with not being able to explain myself because I'm not myself.

[Essex_boy]

avian flu in Essex - Im more worried about catching something off the birds in Romford....

[rocknbil]

(to orig q)

I don't know, and anyone who thinks they do is, well, too full of themselves. :-)