[larkery]

As a thought experiment that might point you toward why some people say not: if you make an atom-perfect simulation of two 1kg spheres orbiting each other in an empty universe, would that produce any gravitation?

[coffeeiscold]

If it was well simulated, yes it would produce simulated gravity. Why should there be any expectation that the simulated reality affect the non simulated reality? If you start down that path then you might conclude that no other person has feelings if it doesn't affect you.

[DennisP]

And the simulation would produce simulated feelings, but that doesn't mean there would actually be qualia.

[feanaro]

Even though the analogy is not really valid, the answer is probably yes, because simulation (computation) requires energy.

[jtsiskin]

I don’t see how this analogy holds. Gravitation is a physical effect, of course it can’t be produced by software; feelings are not.

[grayed-down]

I don't understand your rebuttal. Feeling are not a physical effect?