From Simulation to Sentience
Advances in Computational Intelligence and Robotics December 12, 2025 Anchit Jhamb
The chapter examines the relationship between simulation and sentience in computational consciousness, focusing on the explanatory gap between functional intelligence and subjective experience. It explores philosophical foundations, including the hard problem of consciousness, and evaluates computational models such as symbolic AI, neural networks, and embodied agents. Key theories of consciousness—Integrated Information Theory, Global Workspace Theory, and predictive processing—are integrated and assessed for their relevance to artificial systems. Ethical and epistemological challenges, including verification of machine sentience, anthropomorphism, and societal responsibilities, are analyzed.