1. The BIV Minds and Machines

3. The BIV Scenario We have no body, just a brain in nutrient fluid. Our brain generates our experiences from stimulus given to it from a supercomputer. No detectable difference between VR world the real world. …philosophical questions raised with this “thought experiment”…

4. Questions raised… (1) I could be a BIV, so do I really know I am at plenary? (what do we really know?). – Can we be sure of anything – Descartes

5. (2) Is a perfect illusion really an illusion? – If this right now were really just a computer simulation, would it matter? Would it be less real – Would our passions/relationships/hopes be any less valuable?

6. more interesting question: Is our real “brain in a skull” state any less puzzling than the sci-fi BIV case? – brain still generates experience from input. – still big possible mismatch between experience and reality – Plato Real issue: what is the relationship between the mind/body or mind/physical world?

8. …OK, movie time!