Re: PhD studies & Recent diagnosis...

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Nikolaus,

On Fri, May 29, 2026 at 2:45=E2=80=AFAM H. Nikolaus Schaller <hns@computer.=
org>
wrote:

>
>
> Am 29.05.2026 um 06:45 schrieb Gregory Casamento <[email protected]=
m
> >:
>
> I haven=E2=80=99t settled on a subject for my dissertation yet.  One I am
> considering is the nature of consciousness.  The idea is that consciousne=
ss
> could be an emergent property in complex systems.
>
>
> Having done my PhD in the field of AI in the 90ies, I remember this topic=
.
> It was always part of discussions. It is searching for the holy grail and
> more a philosophical topic than computer science :)
>

Well, as we found out with certain things that are emergent properties of
LLMs (Multi-stage reasoning being one thing) I am thinking that
consciousness might be similar.  I also have a minor in psychology.  So
this has been something on my mind for a long time.  I'm aware of how lofty
it is. :)


> My personal view on consciousness is that the key is to be able to
> remember something and compare. Subconscious experiences are suddenly
> surfacing and from that moment on you can remember them. And if you loose
> consciousness you don't remember. So IMHO consciousness and the ability t=
o
> remember is tightly connected.
>

Agreed.

In technological terms: a Flip-Flop has the potential of 1 bit of
> consciousness. An AND gate hasn't.
>

I like this analogy.

But as said it is the holy grail and almost everyone like Leibnitz, Turing,
> Wiener, Dreyfus, Weizenbaum, Minsky, Popper and many more (e.g. Susan
> Blackmore) have reasoned about that but there is no conclusive answer.
>
> So if you ask 10 people what consciousness is you will get 20 answers :)
> Adding another one is therefore an interesting topic.
>
> But it is far away from GNUstep... Almost the opposite side of the
> universe.
>

Yes, indeed.


> BR,
> Nikolaus
>

Yours, GC

--=20
Gregory Casamento
GNUstep Lead Developer / Black Lotus, Principal Consultant
http://www.gnustep.org - http://heronsperch.blogspot.com
https://www.openhub.net/languages/objective_c

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<div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"fon=
t-family:monospace,monospace">Nikolaus,</div></div><br><div class=3D"gmail_=
quote gmail_quote_container"><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Fri, =
May 29, 2026 at 2:45=E2=80=AFAM H. Nikolaus Schaller &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:=
[email protected]">[email protected]</a>&gt; wrote:<br></div><blockquote clas=
s=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid r=
gb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div><br id=3D"m_947080779727715894lineBr=
eakAtBeginningOfMessage"><div><br><blockquote type=3D"cite"><div>Am 29.05.2=
026 um 06:45 schrieb Gregory Casamento &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:greg.casamento=
@gmail.com" target=3D"_blank">[email protected]</a>&gt;:</div><br><d=
iv><div dir=3D"auto" style=3D"font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-sty=
le:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;te=
xt-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-=
spacing:0px;text-decoration:none">I haven=E2=80=99t settled on a subject fo=
r my dissertation yet.=C2=A0 One I am considering is the nature of consciou=
sness.=C2=A0 The idea is that consciousness could be an emergent property i=
n complex systems. </div></div></blockquote><div><br></div></div>Having don=
e my PhD in the field of AI in the 90ies, I remember this topic. It was alw=
ays part of discussions. It is searching for the holy grail and more a phil=
osophical topic than computer science :)</div></blockquote><div><br></div><=
div><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-family:monospace,monospace">=
Well, as we found out with certain things that are emergent properties of L=
LMs (Multi-stage reasoning being one thing) I am thinking that consciousnes=
s might be similar.=C2=A0 I also have a minor in psychology.=C2=A0 So this =
has been something on my mind for a long time.=C2=A0 I&#39;m aware of how l=
ofty it is. :)=C2=A0</div></div><div>=C2=A0</div><blockquote class=3D"gmail=
_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204=
,204);padding-left:1ex"><div><div></div><div>My personal view on consciousn=
ess is that the key is to be able to remember something and compare. Subcon=
scious experiences are suddenly surfacing and from that moment on you can r=
emember them. And if you loose consciousness you don&#39;t remember. So IMH=
O consciousness and the ability to remember is tightly connected.</div></di=
v></blockquote><div><br></div><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-fa=
mily:monospace,monospace">Agreed.</div><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=
=3D"font-family:monospace,monospace"><br></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_q=
uote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,2=
04);padding-left:1ex"><div>In technological terms: a Flip-Flop has the pote=
ntial of 1 bit of consciousness. An AND gate hasn&#39;t.</div></blockquote>=
<div><br></div><div><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-family:monos=
pace,monospace">I like this analogy.</div></div><div><br></div><blockquote =
class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px sol=
id rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div></div><div>But as said it is the=
 holy grail and almost everyone like Leibnitz, Turing, Wiener, Dreyfus, Wei=
zenbaum, Minsky, Popper and many more (e.g. Susan Blackmore) have reasoned =
about that but there is no conclusive answer.</div><div><br></div><div>So i=
f you ask 10 people what consciousness is you will get 20 answers :) Adding=
 another one is therefore an interesting topic.</div><div><br></div><div>Bu=
t it is far away from GNUstep... Almost the opposite side of the universe.<=
/div></blockquote><div><br></div><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font=
-family:monospace,monospace">Yes, indeed.</div><div>=C2=A0</div><blockquote=
 class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px so=
lid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div></div><div>BR,</div><div>Nikola=
us<br></div></blockquote></div><div><br clear=3D"all"></div><div><div class=
=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-family:monospace,monospace">Yours, GC</div=
><br></div><span class=3D"gmail_signature_prefix">-- </span><br><div dir=3D=
"ltr" class=3D"gmail_signature"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div><div=
 dir=3D"ltr"><font face=3D"monospace">Gregory Casamento<br>GNUstep Lead Dev=
eloper / Black Lotus, Principal Consultant<br><a href=3D"http://www.gnustep=
.org" target=3D"_blank">http://www.gnustep.org</a> - <a href=3D"http://hero=
nsperch.blogspot.com" target=3D"_blank">http://heronsperch.blogspot.com</a>=
<br></font></div></div><div dir=3D"ltr"><font color=3D"#888888" face=3D"mon=
ospace"><a href=3D"https://www.openhub.net/languages/objective_c" style=3D"=
color:rgb(17,85,204)" target=3D"_blank">https://www.openhub.net/languages/o=
bjective_c</a></font></div></div></div></div></div>

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