Are You Spiritual?

[punshhh]

So bacteria are conscious agents?

What about viruses?

What about a molecule of haemoglobin?

What about a hydrogen radical?

I would regard bacteria and viruses as agents, but only the bacteria as conscious (approximating what we recognise as consciousness) and not the virus. I tend to confine consciousness to cellular life forms. I am not suggesting other forms of life are not conscious, but it is stretching the use of the term.

Your use of "Conscious agents" sounds like you are considering entities being consciously aware of their agency. This is not what I'm saying, remember my definition of consciousness from previous threads.

 

[dlorde]

Your use of "Conscious agents" sounds like you are considering entities being consciously aware of their agency. This is not what I'm saying, remember my definition of consciousness from previous threads.

I was trying to clarify what you meant by 'agent' and 'conscious' here. I'm familiar with your usage in some other threads, but it doesn't follow that it will be the same here, and it may be unfamiliar to those who have not read them.

 

[punshhh]

I was trying to clarify what you meant by 'agent' and 'conscious' here. I'm familiar with your usage in some other threads, but it doesn't follow that it will be the same here, and it may be unfamiliar to those who have not read them.

Thanks for your interest, the question of agency is interesting. I am making the distinction between "natural" processes and processes which are different to those due to the presence of life. My use of the term consciousness is almost the same as my use of the term life, with a nuance of difference.