- This pseudo-Paper is intended as the mechanism to record time spent on the Note 'Siliconisation1' during my Thesis research, as from 2011.
- For the actual time recorded, click on "Paper Statistics" above.
Write-up2 (as at 06/07/2023 00:43:12): Siliconisation
Plug Note3
- Thesis Text:
- “Siliconisation” is a name – there may be others – for Thought Experiments4 involving the gradual replacement of neural tissue by silicon computer5 chips.
- An example is Peter Unger’s “zippering”. Unfortunately, I can’t find the reference for this, so it is possible I’ve either misremembered the term, or forgotten the author. Unger does discuss the gradual replacement of neurons by silicon in pp. 122-123 of "Unger (Peter) - The Physical Approach To Our Survival", but I couldn’t see the term used there.
- Anyway, this is a subtle argument. We don’t – of course – know whether this TE6 is metaphysically7 possible8. We don’t know whether silicon can sustain consciousness9, though functionalists10 assume that it can. Gradually, it is said, we no longer have a human animal11, but one that will – behaviourally at least – be indistinguishable from one.
- I think the situation is best viewed as an increasingly mutilated human animal12 with an ever-growing prosthesis. The term for such is a “Cyborg13”.
- I doubt that the silicon would maintain phenomenal consciousness14 but just be a “zombie15” simulacrum.
- Any replacement that would maintain phenomenal consciousness16 would be indistinguishable from natural part-replacement. But I think this is a contingent, empirical matter, a long way off from an answer.
- A question I’ve considered is whether siliconization would preserve the First Person Perspective17, irrespective of whether it impacts on consciousness18.
- I just note here that “silicon” is used as a proxy for any non-carbon-based intelligence19. Germanium, or Qubits might do as well (or better), though quantum20-computing21 might change the game somewhat.
Further Remarks:
- I’ve found it difficult to come up with a reading list for this topic, though it must be covered in multiple papers. So, I’ve listed anything vaguely relevant.
- I have included a few papers in the reading list that might naturally be better at home in one or other of my other Notes.
- In this regard, there is also an overlap with – and references from – my Notes on:-
- Androids22,
- Bodily Continuity23
- Brain24,
- Causality25,
- Computers26,
- Consciousness27,
- Functionalism28,
- Homo Sapiens29,
- Non-Human Persons30,
- Haecceity31,
- Transplants32,
References
- Relevant Works cited above:
- "Unger (Peter) - The Physical Approach To Our Survival", 1992, Read
- For a Page of Links33 to this Note, Click here. I included “silicon” in the search, but ignored anything to do with Silicon Valley and the future of silicon as the semi-conductor of choice.
- Works on this topic that I’ve actually read34, include the following:-
- Aeon:
- "Pigliucci (Massimo) - Consciousness is real", 2019, Internal PDF Link
- General:
- "Baker (Lynne Rudder) - When Do Persons Begin and End?", 2005, Annotations, External Link, Internal PDF Link
- "Claxton (Guy) - Intelligence in the Flesh - Limbering Up: An Introduction", 2015
- "Haugeland (John) - Programs, causal powers, and intentionality", 1980
- "Marshall (John C.) - Artificial Intelligence - the real thing?", 1980
- "Olson (Eric) - What Are We? Brains", 2007, Write-Up Note35, Internal PDF Link
- "Price (Huw), Cave (Stephen), Iida (Fumiya), Etc. - Preparing for the future: artificial intelligence and us: Part 1", 2018, External Link
- "Searle (John) - Breaking the Hold: Silicon Brains, Conscious Robots and Other Minds", 1992
- "Searle (John) - Minds, Brains, and Programs: Author's Response to Peer Review", 1980, Internal PDF Link
- "Thomas (Janice L.) - The identity theory", 2000
- "Tye (Michael) - Can Anyone Else Feel My Pains?", 1995, Footnote36
- "Unger (Peter) - Identity, Consciousness and Value", 1992, Book
- "Unger (Peter) - The Physical Approach To Our Survival", 1992
- A further reading list might start with:-
- General:
- "Campbell (Neil) - Anomalous Monism", Undated
- "Chalmers (David) - Absent Qualia, Fading Qualia, Dancing Qualia", 1996
- "Liao (S. Matthew) - Twinning, Inorganic Replacement, and the Organism View", 2010, Internal PDF Link, Read = 11%
- "Papineau (David) - Prospects for the Scientific Study of Phenomenal Consciousness", 2002, Read = 2%
- For a list of Works that have been considered, but have missed the cut for inclusion in this Section of my Thesis, see the following:-
- Read: No items to list.
- Further Reading: No items to list.
- This is mostly a place-holder37.
In-Page Footnotes
Footnote 2:
- This is the write-up as it was when this Abstract was last output, with text as at the timestamp indicated (06/07/2023 00:43:12).
- Link to Latest Write-Up Note.
Footnote 36:
- Tye seems to be discussing brain-partition, with silicon transceivers. But he uses Unger’s term “zippering”.
- He is indebted to Arnold Zuboff, who may be worth following up.
Text Colour Conventions (see disclaimer)
- Blue: Text by me; © Theo Todman, 2026