[Leeway (OP)]

What is consciousness and what proof do we have that it exists? Is it separate from the material world?

[jeffreyH]

Are you typing statements via a keyboard into this forum? It looks like you are. Therefore you must be conscious. So consciousness exists.

Consciousness has to be part of the material world since it arises from components of the material world.

[alancalverd]

This robot can type sentences. This robot can type sentences. This robot can type sentgences with an error rate indistinguishabbble from alan. We have detected carbon based life forms on this planet. We destroy carbon based life forms.

>>>"consciousness" - error 666 - string not recognised

<<< disregard error

>>> continue mission

Happy new year not logical in this context.

[jeffreyH]

Wow that robot is indistinguishable from Alan. It's almost as if Alan were typing. You need to patent that one. It's a winner. True AI in our lifetime!