Synthetic consciousness

Synthetic consciousness refers to attempts by computer scientists and others to implement machines which, as a minimum, give the impression to observers that they possess aspects of consciousness.

The term synthetic consciousness is preferred to simulated consciousness because anything simulated is by definition not real. Some consciousness researchers believe that a synthetic consciousness will never be really conscious. Others believe that possibly some synthetic consciousness may one day be really conscious. A few believe that some synthetic consciousness is already really conscious. We may, some day, not be able to distinguish between a sufficiently sophisticated simulated consciousness and a natural real consciousness: By Leibniz's law the simulated duck, quacking like a real duck, might be considered as if it were real. But Leibniz's law could not be applied to a synthetic consciousness which was convincingly conscious but was of a type of consciousness unknown until that point. Whatever! The term synthetic consciousness is an inclusive term which allows the discussion to proceed constructively.

Also see:

• Artificial intelligence
• Artificial life
• Biomorphic robotics
• Consciousness
• Digital organism
• Emotional intelligence
• Philosophy of mind
• Unconscious mind

Notable researchers:

• Cynthia Breazeal, developer of Kismet (robot)
• Rodney Brooks
• David Chalmers
• Daniel Dennett
• Gerald Edelman
• Steve Grand, creator of Creatures and author of Growing up with Lucy
• Douglas Hofstadter, author of Gödel, Escher, Bach
• Colin McGinn
• Thomas Nagel
• Roger Penrose
• John Searle

External links:

• Interesting discussion of main proponents' arguments
• Kismet - simulates emotional aspects of consciouness