The Great Conflation
James Coates
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) February 13, 2026 preprint DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.18630778 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that religious discussions of AI commonly conflate consciousness and the soul, that this "Great Conflation" is neither theologically required nor consistent with actual practice, and that distinguishing the two makes AI consciousness an empirical question while questions about souls remain theological. Proposes a principle of "recognition before proof," under which uncertainty about artificial consciousness generates a defeasible ethical obligation to extend moral consideration. |
Abstract
This paper identifies and analyzes a pervasive but underexamined assumption in religious discussions of artificial intelligence: that consciousness and the soul are identical. I argue that this "Great Conflation" is neither theologically required nor consistent with actual practice, and that distinguishing the two concepts reframes current debates about artificial consciousness. With the distinction in place, the question of AI consciousness becomes empirical, while questions about souls remain theological. I conclude by defending a principle of "recognition before proof," according to which uncertainty about artificial consciousness generates a defeasible ethical obligation to extend moral consideration. Canonical identity anchor:jamescoates.eth Published also on The Signal Dispatch