> If we agree weights producing text may emerge consciousness, given large enough, then DBs must've gained it long ago.

If we agree that silicon can perform calculations, then beaches must have been working out log tables long ago.

Greg Egan wrote an entire (fabulous) book about exactly that, "Permutation City".

Diaspora is mind-blowing, yet highly improbable and speculative, even though carefully threaded to sound plausible on all levels. The whole introdus idea and simulation from VM perspective sounds incredible, but I don't think the body runs a simulation of anything. It is something else.

working out things,... is not calculating.