Dreaming, Consciousness and Morality
People's visceral reactions may help explain why they respond differently to the trolley problem when asked if they'll do THIS vs pulling a switch, even when the outcomes are equivalent.
What is pushing someone into a train?
In Memento, Leonard Shelby's inability to form new episodic memories, while still having access to old long-term memories and old procedural memories is an example of this type of amnesia.
What is global amnesia?
It's been argued that individuals with OCD are responsible for the development of this aspect of religious practices.
What are rituals?
Trial questions are used to check for bias in this type of test.
What is an IQ test?
They are your TA's
Who are Olga and Rawan?
Robot's/Ai's not having moral weight because they do not have the same phsyiological brain states of humans is a conclusion for this theory of mind.
What is the identity theory of mind?
One explanation for why we like music, is that playing or dancing to music together increases this.
What are endorphins?
This neurotransmitter is involved with increased pattern detection including as part of religious experience.
What is dopamine?
We find statements like "Art is the lie that reveals the truth" compelling because we like this.
What are contradictions?
The field interested in the information processing of the human mind (and non-human and robot minds as well).
This region of the brain shuts off during sleep, and is likely why we can't realize the situations in our dreams are absurd.
What is the frontal cortex?
The movie Inside Out's depiction of emotion is similar to this framework of emotion.
What are basic emotions? (Will also accept Paul Ekman's basic emotions)
When someone does not have mental imagery.
What is aphantasia? (will also accept visual agnosia and other synonyms)
Has a large impact on all aspect of human experience, including your happiness and political orientation.
I got my degree in this at the University of Toronto.
What is neuroscience?
Something/one that should be given moral and ethical consideration in a decision (when they are not the decision maker)
What is a moral/ethical patient?
To view Data from Star Trek as being a "person" like we are, requires us to take this view of minds.
What is Functional theory?
This type of knowledge is concerned with potential changes in social status, particularly our transgressions.
What is strategic knowledge?
What is usability, usefullness and learnability?
We post our volunteer lecture notes here for bonus credit if we didn't get enough SONA credits.
What is the class discord?
The chinese room, is an argument that humans have that following aspect to experience that AIs lack.
What is qualia?
Steven Pinker explains our ability and appreciation for music as a byproduct of other cognitive abilities (particularly language)
What is auditory cheesecake?
Many cultures developed this practice with corpses to avoid spreading disease/infection.
What is burial?
An AI algorithm is likely to be biased or prejudiced if this is biased or prejudiced.
What is training data?
The best class I've taught so far
Who are you guys ("us" from your end is an acceptable answer)?