The question of the cause of 2 is the same as the question of the cause of the shape of the Mandelbrot fractal. The natural numbers are literally a fractal, with Peano's axioms being one possible rule set, and we discover (not create) them and their properties by computation.
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If a universe presents itself via discernible differences (information) and is regular enough for computation, then its substrate (if it has one) must necessarily and sufficiently be a computer, i.e. a system capable of regular state change with Turing universality.
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If we are dreams in God's mind, something must allow God's mind to progress in a non-random fashion and store its state. In other words, there must be some computer that runs the dreamer.
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Dualism entails two computational domains. For instance, dualism might allow you to act on this immediate moment in time by intermittently stopping the physical universe, letting the universe that computes your mind process your decision making, then update and commence physics.
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There is no way out of computationalism for a dualist, because computation is an a priori concept, i.e. it does not require physics but covers all possible systems with discernible differences that are capable of deterministic, probabilistic or random change.
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Replying to @Plinz
Why must the dualist accept computationalism is an a priori precondition on the possibility of everything else? Why not just on the possibility of the physical substrate?
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Perhaps minds operate radically differently from the sorts of change we're used to conceiving of?
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Is your argument the following?: 1. Computationalism is a necessary precondition for all change. 2. Minds are systems (or are part of systems) which involve change. 3. Therefore, minds are computational.
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Replying to @Evollaqi
Roughly. Computationalism is the metaphysics, computation is regular state change. Not all computational systems are universal; universal computation is the set of rulesets that allow to implement all rulesets that allow universal computation.
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Replying to @Plinz
I'll have to reflect on this, thank you so much for this informative discussion. If you're ever around Cambridge (UK) let me know, I'd love to pick your brain further :)
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Likewise, if you are ever around Cambridge (MA), let me know, and we'll have a drink of your choice!
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