Panpsychism vs. AI: Is robotic consciousness just a few systems upgrades away?

Hello everyone, last week’s blog on the case of the suicidal robot got quite a lot of interesting reactions. Some speculated that science will one day bring consciousness to robots. Others felt that robots are conscious in their own way, just like humans are. Or for that matter, even non-living things are conscious in their own limited way. By that yardstick even the robot would have some consciousness of its own, right?

There is a certain school of thought that supports this argument, which is called panpsychism. It suggests that consciousness is a fundamental and ubiquitous aspect of the universe, meaning that all matter possesses some form of consciousness or subjective experience. It would therefore go against the view that consciousness is exclusive to certain complex living beings, particularly humans and some animals.

"Panpsychism is a fascinating view, and it is worth considering seriously. It suggests that consciousness might be a fundamental property of matter, which could offer a solution to the hard problem of consciousness." David Chalmers

Also, it suggests varying levels of consciousness, which can be explained as follows:

Basic Particles: Even the smallest particles (like electrons or quarks) might possess a very rudimentary form of consciousness. This could be akin to a basic awareness or a proto-consciousness that does not involve any complex experiences.

Simple Systems: Objects or systems that are relatively simple in structure (like a rock) may have very limited and basic forms of consciousness. This might not involve any form of subjective experience as humans understand it, but rather a basic form of "awareness" or responsiveness to the environment.

How would rocks be different from quarks? It’s just that they are an aggregation of particles so may have a more aggregate form of consciousness.

Biological Entities: Living organisms, such as plants and simple animals, may have more integrated and complex forms of consciousness. For example, plants can respond to environmental stimuli in ways that suggest a higher level of awareness than inanimate objects.

Did you know that plants can develop a variety of defence mechanisms against herbivores and parasites that eat their leaves. They could produce toxic compounds like nicotine in tobacco plants and cyanogenic glycosides in cassava. Tomato plants produce proteinase inhibitors in response to herbivore attack, which can make their leaves less palatable or toxic to the herbivore.

Tell that to vegetarians next time (no offence, I am mostly vegetarian too)!

Complex Nervous Systems: Animals with complex nervous systems, especially those with brains, exhibit much richer and more sophisticated forms of consciousness. This includes the ability to experience pleasure, pain, emotions, and a sense of self.

Panpsychism argues that higher levels of consciousness emerge from the complex interactions and integrations of these fundamental units. For instance, human consciousness is viewed as an emergent property of the complex network of neurons in the brain.

As systems become more integrated and complex, the type and quality of consciousness become richer. For example, a single neuron may have a basic form of awareness, but the human brain, with its vast network of interconnected neurons, gives rise to the rich and multifaceted experience of human consciousness.

Higher animals and humans have not only sensory experiences but also emotional and cognitive experiences, allowing for feelings, thoughts, self-reflection, and complex behaviors.

An example is the mirror test, developed by psychologist Gordon Gallup Jr. in 1970. It is designed to assess an animal's ability to recognize itself in a mirror, which is considered an indicator of self-awareness.

A chimpanzee is first allowed to become familiar with a mirror. Then, researchers place a mark on a part of the chimpanzee's body that it cannot see without the mirror (such as on its forehead or under its arm) while the chimpanzee is anesthetized or otherwise unaware of the mark being placed.

After the mark is applied, the chimpanzee is given access to a mirror and observed for its reaction. If the chimpanzee uses the mirror to investigate and try to remove or touch the mark on its own body, it indicates that the chimpanzee recognizes the reflection as itself.

In several studies, chimpanzees have passed the mirror test by showing behaviors that suggest they understand that the reflection in the mirror is their own image. They have been seen using the mirror to inspect and touch the marks on their own bodies, indicating self-recognition.

Additional studies have confirmed these findings and extended the test to other primates and animals, showing that chimpanzees, along with some other species like elephants and certain birds, are capable of self-recognition.

According to this theory, human consciousness is generally more complex and integrated than animal consciousness. They have a higher degree of self-awareness and experience a broader and more nuanced range of emotions. In addition, humans exhibit advanced cognitive functions, including abstract thinking and symbolic thought. Human language and cultures are uniquely complex, enabling detailed and abstract communication.

On first impressions, panpsychism seems very aligned with the scientific theory of evolution. But science itself would have a very basic problem with this because of lack of experimental evidence. If consciousness is indeed available in varying degrees in humans and animals, we need to be able to measure it right? How would we even start doing that?

In fact, science supports an alternative emergent theory of consciousness more, that it develops as matter gets more complex and is not available in simple forms of matter.

For instance, they do not think that plants have consciousness or awareness in the way animals do. Their responses to threats are driven by automatic biochemical and physiological mechanisms rather than conscious decision-making. The absence of a nervous system, the nature of plant signal transduction (an automated response that detects and responds to damage), and the lack of evidence for subjective experience all support the view that plant responses are automatic rather than conscious.

"The world is a unity, and consciousness is a fundamental aspect of that unity, underlying all physical phenomena." Erwin Schr?dinger, scientist, famous for the wave particle duality experiments and the cat

As far as robots are concerned, the emergent theory of consciousness posits that robots could potentially become conscious if they achieve a high level of complexity and integration in their cognitive systems. This would involve creating advanced neural-like architectures, integrating information across various processes, and reaching a threshold of functional complexity. Science would agree, but also admit that currently, technology is not yet capable of creating robots with such advanced cognitive systems.

Intriguing thoughts indeed. Humans may be able to transfer all their intelligence to robots one day, but can they transfer their consciousness too? Next week, we look at the spiritual aspect of this debate.

Views are personal. Article authored with inputs from ChatGPT