A computational theory of consciousness: qualia and the hard problem
Kybernetes May 7, 2019 Ángel García-Baños
A theory of consciousness based solely on computational processes can explain qualia and the "hard problem" without invoking physical, chemical, or psychological mechanisms. The author analyzes what can be objectively known about qualia and proposes a computational process that imitates the same effects, then applies it to a robot in a thought experiment. The theory suggests that subjective feeling emerges as an evolutionary by-product when there are no strong evolutionary pressures on the brain. Qualia do not involve magic, and aspects of consciousness in robots and organizations could be manufactured, allowing a choice about whether to build robots and organizations with qualia and subjective experience.