Will We Ever Have Conscious Machines?
Patrick Krauss, Andreas Maier
Frontiers in Computational Neuroscience 2020 DOI: 10.3389/fncom.2020.556544 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Philosophy of mind |
| Keywords | Artificial intelligence Correlates of consciousness Deep learning Global workspace Machine consciousness Machine learning Theories of consciousness |
| Key points | Argues that many important algorithmic steps toward machines with a core consciousness have already been taken in common machine learning approaches. |
Abstract
The question of whether artificial beings or machines could become self-aware or conscious has been a philosophical question for centuries. The main problem is that self-awareness cannot be observed from an outside perspective and the distinction of being really self-aware or merely a clever imitation cannot be answered without access to knowledge about the mechanism's inner workings. We investigate common machine learning approaches with respect to their potential ability to become self-aware. We realize that many important algorithmic steps toward machines with a core consciousness have already been taken.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on philosophy of mind, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychosis as a state of aberrant salience: a framework linking biology, phenomenology, and pharmacology in schizophrenia. | 2003 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| From dopamine to salience to psychosis--linking biology, pharmacology and phenomenology of psychosis. | 2005 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| How do the brain's time and space mediate consciousness and its different dimensions? Temporo-spatial theory of consciousness (TTC). | 2017 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| The phenomenology of deep brain stimulation-induced changes in OCD: an enactive affordance-based model. | 2013 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Looking for the Self: Phenomenology, Neurophysiology and Philosophical Significance of Drug-induced Ego Dissolution | 2017 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
Citations in the library
Cited by 10
- Can artificial systems become conscious?—Recursive embodied closure as an integrative framework Frontiers in Psychology September 30, 2026
- Mirror-induced origination process of human self-consciousness—restructuring consciousness-based cognitive theory Frontiers in Psychology June 24, 2026
- Biological Versus Artificial Consciousness: Will The Two Ever Meet? Neurology and Neuroscience February 2, 2026
- Anesthesia for non-traditional consciousness Frontiers in Human Neuroscience May 9, 2023
- Mind in the Machine? Cross-Disciplinary Perceptions of Consciousness in Artificial Intelligence International Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems April 13, 2026
and 5 more in the library
Cites 27
- An information integration theory of consciousness BMC Neuroscience November 2, 2004
- Neural correlates of consciousness: progress and problems Nature Reviews Neuroscience April 20, 2016
- Consciousness as Integrated Information: a Provisional Manifesto Biological Bulletin December 1, 2008
- A Theoretically Based Index of Consciousness Independent of Sensory Processing and Behavior Science Translational Medicine August 14, 2013
- The Neural Correlates of Consciousness Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences March 1, 2008
and 22 more in the library