Integrated Information Theory and Isomorphic Feed-Forward Philosophical Zombies

Any theory amenable to scientific inquiry must have testable consequences. This minimal criterion is uniquely challenging for the study of consciousness, as we do not know if it is possible to confirm via observation from the outside whether or not a physical system knows what it feels like to have an inside - a challenge referred to as the "hard problem" of consciousness. To arrive at a theory of consciousness, the hard problem has motivated the development of phenomenological approaches that adopt assumptions of what properties consciousness has based on first-hand experience and, from these, derive the physical processes that give rise to these properties. A leading theory adopting this approach is Integrated Information Theory (IIT), which assumes our subjective experience is a "unified whole", subsequently yielding a requirement for physical feedback as a necessary condition for consciousness. Here, we develop a mathematical framework to assess the validity of this assumption by testing it in the context of isomorphic physical systems with and without feedback. The isomorphism allows us to isolate changes in $\Phi$ without affecting the size or functionality of the original system. Indeed, we show that the only mathematical difference between a "conscious" system with $\Phi>0$ and an isomorphic "philosophical zombies" with $\Phi=0$ is a permutation of the binary labels used to internally represent functional states. This implies $\Phi$ is sensitive to functionally arbitrary aspects of a particular labeling scheme, with no clear justification in terms of phenomenological differences. In light of this, we argue any quantitative theory of consciousness, including IIT, should be invariant under isomorphisms if it is to avoid the existence of isomorphic philosophical zombies and the epistemological problems they pose.Comment: 13 page

How Are Engineering Ethics Integrated Into High School Education In Colorado?

Engineering education continues to become more prominent in Colorado high schools, through dedicated classes, integrated into other STEM courses (such as science and math), and/or extracurricular activities. An important topic within engineering is ethics. This includes macroethical issues such as the environmental and societal impacts of engineering and technology. However, engineering ethics education in high schools has not been widely characterized. This research therefore examines if and how ethics are being implemented in high school engineering education, seeking to understand the teacher perspective. This qualitative research was conducted by interviewing 14 high school teachers in Colorado. These teachers represent multiple STEM subjects, school districts, public and private institutions, as well as religious and nonsectarian institutions. The results of this study detailed how most STEM teachers integrate ethics, although they may not recognize this. Furthermore, most teachers believed that this integration to be important in K12 education.</p

The Grizzly, March 26, 2020

Seniors Sound Off on Ursinus\u27 Switch to Online Classes • The Arts: A Casualty to Come? • Spoken Word Course Speaks Loudly • Ursinus Seniors\u27 Careers End Abruptly • Lacrosse Dominates, Brieflyhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1959/thumbnail.jp

Engineering of extracellular matrix scaffolds via hollow fiber cell culture

Extracellular matrix (ECM) tissue scaffolds are seeing increased use for clinical applications, as they significantly decrease the time course of healing for injured tissues; however, the use of animal-sourced matrix for these scaffolds introduces xenogeneic epitopes into the patient toward which deleterious immune responses are directed, decreasing the effectiveness of the scaffold. ECM scaffolds produced in vitro have potential to minimize the foreign body response, as ECM can be cultured using human cell lines and decellularized to produce an allogeneic scaffold with high biocompatibility. The primary challenge of producing ECM-based therapeutics in vitro is fabricating such material in a manner which approximates the composition and architecture of native matrix while maintaining high yield and ease-of-handling. In previous work, we have demonstrated that sacrificial open-cell foams can be used for the production of ECM scaffolds with properties approximating those of native tissues.1 Herein we demonstrate a novel approach for the production of continuous threads of extracellular matrix by statically culturing ECM-secreting fibroblasts in the lumina of mesoporous hollow fiber membranes (HFMs). This approach exploits the fact that mesoporous HFMs prevent cross-membrane transport of high molecular weight proteins produced by cells in their lumina, while allowing for diffusion of low molecular weight cell medium components. Please click Additional Files below to see the full abstract

Concert recording 2018-11-03

[Track 1]. Broodin\u27 / Asher Perkins -- [Track 2]. Mary had a little lamb / Buddy Guy arranger Stevie Ray Vaughan -- [Track 3]. Little wing / Jimi Hendrix arranger Stevie Ray Vaughan -- [Track 4]. Scuttlebuttin / Stevie Ray Vaughan -- [Track 5]. Sirabhorn / Pat Metheny -- [Track 6]. Outerstellar mozy [Track 7]. Truth? [Track 8]. Street swing [Track 9]. Warm kages / Asher Perkins -- [Track 10]. The saga of Harrison Crabfeathers / Steve Kuhn

The Grizzly, October 24, 2019

Director of Residence Life Accepts Position at Franklin and Marshall • UC Welcomes New Director of Disability Services • Dean Bryant Starts Mondays with Missy • Popular Biology Course Returns for Spring • Opinions: I saw Joker and it was Just OK; Chile Protests add to Issues in Latin America • Tennis Duo Makes History in Virginia • Swimming Looks to Fill Pool with More Championshipshttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1592/thumbnail.jp