Humachina: A Meditation on Human and Machine Consciousness
Transactional Analysis Journal January 2, 2026 DOI: 10.1080/03621537.2026.2595400 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key points | Argues that the scale and pace of recent technological advances, including artificial intelligence and synthetic biology, evoke a disturbing sentiment and unsettle humanistic philosophy's understanding of consciousness; through contemporary theories of consciousness, the author considers the possibility of a combined human-machine consciousness and explores possible correlations between these developments and the current global political landscape. |
Abstract
Abstract In this essay the author reflects on the disturbing sentiment that is evoked as a result of the scale and pace of recent technological advancements as well as the questions that these raise in our understanding of human consciousness underpinning humanistic philosophy and current societal and political developments. He offers an overview of some of these technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI, ACI, AGI) and synthetic biology. Through the lens of contemporary theories of consciousness, he considers the possibility of a consciousness that combines human and machine. The potential correlations of these recent technological developments with the current global political landscape are also explored.