Consciousness Evolving

Consciousness Evolving Advances in Consciousness Research Advances in Consciousness Research provides a forum for scholars from different scientific disciplines and fields of knowledge who study consciousness in its multifaceted aspects. Thus the Series will include (but not be limited to) the various areas of cognitive science, including cognitive psychology, linguistics, brain science and philosophy. The orientation of the Series is toward developing new interdisciplinary and integrative approaches for the investigation, description and theory of consciousness, as well as the practical consequences of this research for the individual and society. Series A: Theory and Method. Contributions to the development of theory and method in the study of consciousness. Editor Maxim I. Stamenov Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Editorial Board David Chalmers, University of Arizona Gordon G. Globus, University of California at Irvine Ray Jackendoff, Brandeis University Christof Koch, California Institute of Technology Stephen Kosslyn, Harvard University Earl Mac Cormac, Duke University George Mandler, University of California at San Diego John R. Searle, University of California at Berkeley Petra Stoerig, Universität Düsseldorf Francisco Varela, C.R.E.A., Ecole Polytechnique, Paris Volume 34 Consciousness Evolving Edited by James H. Fetzer Consciousness Evolving Edited by James H. Fetzer University of Minnesota, Duluth John Benjamins Publishing Company Amsterdam / Philadelphia 8 TM The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American National Standard for Information Sciences – Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ansi z39.48-1984. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Consciousness Evolving / edited by James H. Fetzer. p. cm. (Advances in Consciousness Research, issn 1381–589X ; v. 34) Includes bibliographical references and indexes. 1. Conciousness. 2. Evolution. 3. Conciousness--Physiological aspects. 4. Evolution (Biology) I. Fetzer; James H., 1940-II. Series. B808.9.C665 2002 126--dc21 isbn 90 272 5154 1 (Eur.) / 1 58811 108 3 (US) (Hb; alk. paper) 2002016363 © 2002 – John Benjamins B.V. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, by print, photoprint, microfilm, or any other means, without written permission from the publisher. John Benjamins Publishing Co. · P.O. Box 36224 · 1020 me Amsterdam · The Netherlands John Benjamins North America · P.O. Box 27519 · Philadelphia pa 19118-0519 · usa To Greg Mulhauser Contents Contributors ix Introduction xiii Prologue 1 Turing indistinguishability and the blind watchmaker Stevan Harnad 3 Part I: Natural consciousness 19 Consciousness, adaptation and epiphenomenalism Tom Polger and Owen Flanagan 21 The function of consciousness David Cole 43 Sensations and grain processes George Graham and Terry Horgan 63 Part II: Special adaptations 87 Evolution, consciousness, and the language of thought James W. Garson 89 Why did evolution engineer consciousness? Selmer Bringsjord, Ron Noel and David Ferrucci 111 Nothing without mind Stephen Clark 139 Part III: ArtiWcial consciousness 161 The emergence of grounded representations: The power and limits of sensory- motor coordination Stefano NolW and Oraxio Miglino Ago Ergo Sum Dario Floreano 163 181 viii Contents Evolving robot consciousness: The easy problems and the rest Inman Harvey 205 Epilogue 221 The future with cloning: On the possibility of serial immortality Neil Tennant 223 Subject index