PhilSci-ArchiveApril 5, 2026José Augusto de Lima Prestes
preprint
This article develops "pseudo-consciousness" as an analytical category for advanced artificial intelligence systems whose organized performance of consciousness-associated functions reshapes how they are interpreted, trusted, and governed without thereby justifying a positive attribution of phenomenal subjectivity. The central claim is not that machine consciousness is impossible in principle,...
September 22, 2025José Augusto de Lima Prestes
preprint
Large Language Models (LLMs) increasingly generate outputs that resemble introspection, including self-reference, epistemic modulation, and claims about their internal states. This study investigates whether such behaviors reflect consistent, underlying patterns or are merely surface-level generative artifacts.We evaluated five open-weight, stateless LLMs using a structured battery of 21...