We're confusing two entirely different things here. It's the first person experience that is the substance in question. The first person experience, is the irreducible substance, the stuff, the essence. When you mention " retrieval of memories", or "accessing someone's experience", what exactly are you saying, and in what manner will these things be accessed or retrieved? If it involves 3rd person, then you're talking about something completely different. You're talking about something existentially different. Why? Because in 1st person reality, there is no 3rd person. You can tinker around all you want from the outside. I've done some neuro feedback where I controlled gadgets through will power alone. Who knowns, one day I may be able to control a mechanical hand holding a paint brush, and paint a picture with thoughts alone.
Have you ever watched any Black Mirror on Netflix? There is one episode about an insurance company that has this technology to scan their clients memories in order investigate claims. They hook the claimants up to this little box, and the memories of the events are displayed on the screen. It's neat fiction. Will it ever become a reality? I don't see any path forward for this technology to come about, but whether it can or not completely misses the point. You will still be watching this person's memories, or accessing their experience by watching 3rd person, from the outside, in.
I would like to see the conversation move forward than lumber around on this point. Stoic has already agreed that it's impossible to know what it's like to be a bat unless one becomes a bat. This is the dualism that I am referring to. Batness is a different substance, inaccessible through physical means. It's that simple. Any 3rd grader could understand this.
Comment