The Importance of Being Conscious in the debate over AI

نوع مقاله : مقاله علمی پژوهشی

نویسنده

Professor Emeritus of Philosophy , St. Olaf College , US.

10.22091/jptr.2026.17505.3695

چکیده

This paper defends the evident reality of consciousness, including conscious, enduring selves, over against objections by Yetter-Chappell and Seth. AI may be considered intelligent given some form of behaviorism or functionalism, but this is profoundly different from being intelligent insofar as this involves conscious self-awareness. Consciousness plays an essential role in world religions. In some forms of Hinduism, Brahman is pure, infinite consciousness. Buddha-consciousness a central notion in most forms of Buddhism. In the Abrahamic faiths, God's creation and sustaining of the cosmos is a conscious divine act, God's omniscience consists in God's awareness of all dimensions of the created order. God's justice and mercy, God's love and providential care are all within the scope of God's boundless conscious life. These traditions also stress the importance of our being conscious and of the love and will of God, responding in intentional acts of prayer, worship, repentance, reverence, loving and caring for the creation, and living life in light of God's presence (Coram Deo), in the faith and hope for life after this life (Taliaferro 2024).

کلیدواژه‌ها

موضوعات


عنوان مقاله [English]

The Importance of Being Conscious in the debate over AI

نویسنده [English]

  • Charles Taliaferro
Professor Emeritus of Philosophy , St. Olaf College , US.
چکیده [English]

This paper defends the evident reality of consciousness, including conscious, enduring selves, over against objections by Yetter-Chappell and Seth. AI may be considered intelligent given some form of behaviorism or functionalism, but this is profoundly different from being intelligent insofar as this involves conscious self-awareness. Consciousness plays an essential role in world religions. In some forms of Hinduism, Brahman is pure, infinite consciousness. Buddha-consciousness a central notion in most forms of Buddhism. In the Abrahamic faiths, God's creation and sustaining of the cosmos is a conscious divine act, God's omniscience consists in God's awareness of all dimensions of the created order. God's justice and mercy, God's love and providential care are all within the scope of God's boundless conscious life. These traditions also stress the importance of our being conscious and of the love and will of God, responding in intentional acts of prayer, worship, repentance, reverence, loving and caring for the creation, and living life in light of God's presence (Coram Deo), in the faith and hope for life after this life (Taliaferro 2024).

کلیدواژه‌ها [English]

  • Consciousness
  • intelligence
  • Yetter-Chappell
  • Anil Seth
  • theism
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