The Evolution of Consciousness Theories

Consciousness is typically understood as awareness of one's environment and self, but defining it remains challenging. Several major theories—such as those viewing consciousness as information integration, requiring agency, being graded, or equating it with awareness content—are reviewed and compared, focusing on awareness, attention, and sense of self. These theories are then interpreted in relation to artificial intelligence to identify what distinguishes AI from natural intelligence. The review highlights ongoing debates about the boundaries of consciousness, especially given recent AI advances.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Consciousness is usually perceived as a state of being aware of one’s environment as well as self. Despite its omnipresence in our life, understanding this concept is challenging. This has given rise to several theories attempting to explain the nature of consciousness, as well as hard and soft problems of consciousness. In fact, the boundaries of consciousness defined by these theories are a topic of continued discussion, particularly in light of the recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI). Some of these theories consider consciousness as a simple integration of information while others purport the need for an agency in the process of integration for an entity to be considered conscious. Some theories consider consciousness as a graded entity and some equate consciousness with content of awareness. In this work, major theories of consciousness are reviewed and compared, focusing on awareness, attention, and sense of self. These findings are interpreted in relation to AI in order to ascertain what makes AI distinct from natural intelligence.