Erik Hoel says consciousness's definition isn't a mystery, Grady Booch pushes back
RalphStefanWeir · x · 2026-10-08
Neuroscientist Erik Hoel argues in The Intrinsic Perspective that the "argument from undefinability" around consciousness is a myth: most experts actually agree on what the word means, and the real problem is tech/AI people conflating consciousness with introspection, intelligence, or pleasure and pain. Ralph Weir shared the piece, prompting Grady Booch to object that consciousness is a "suitcase word" with no commonly accepted operational definition, citing how EMTs, physicians, and anesthesiologists each treat it differently in practice. The exchange touches on the gap between intensional and operational definitions — a debate especially live among AI researchers.
Related event: Grady Booch and Neuroscientist Clash Over Consciousness(3 posts)→
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