The Morphospace of Consciousness: Three Kinds of Complexity for Minds and Machines.
NeuroSci March 27, 2023 DOI: 10.3390/neurosci4020009 (opens in new tab) via PubMed Central
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractThe paper proposes a framework called the morphospace of consciousness, which maps possible kinds of conscious experience based on three distinct forms of complexity: structural, functional, and phenomenal. It argues that these complexity types define a space in which both biological minds and artificial systems can be located, allowing for a systematic comparison of their conscious capacities. The authors suggest that this approach clarifies debates about machine consciousness by showing that different kinds of complexity support different kinds of conscious experience, and that no single metric suffices to determine whether a system is conscious.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key finding | Proposes that three kinds of complexity—structural, dynamical, and functional—define a 'morphospace of consciousness' that can accommodate both biological and artificial conscious systems. |
Abstract
The Morphospace of Consciousness: Three Kinds of Complexity for Minds and Machines.