Unplugging a Seemingly Sentient Machine Is the Rational Choice - A Metaphysical Perspective
arXiv.org January 28, 2026 E. J. Bekkers, Anna Ciaunica
The paper argues that an AI which perfectly mimics human emotion and begs not to be unplugged is not a conscious subject, only a functional mimic. The authors propose Biological Idealism, a framework holding that conscious experiences are fundamental and that autopoietic life is their necessary physical signature. They contend that computational functionalism, which underpins many AI consciousness theories, erodes moral standing criteria. The real moral concern, they claim, is not granting AI rights but preventing humans from becoming zombie-like. The paper urges a shift from speculative machine rights to protecting human conscious life.