A Scientific Theory of Consciousness
Simon Goldstein, Cameron Domenico Kirk-Giannini
October 20, 2026 DOI: 10.1093/9780197840375.003.0009 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Case report |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that the debate about AI consciousness should advance through detailed case studies of specific theories, and develops such a case study for global workspace theory (GWT), exploring what it would take for various AI systems to be conscious according to GWT. |
Abstract
Abstract The recent successes of AI models have led to a resurgence of academic and popular interest in the question of what it would take for an AI to be conscious. A number of authors have recently suggested that it may be possible to construct conscious AIs in the near future. Existing work has tended to focus on supporting this claim by surveying the commitments of a wide range of philosophical and scientific theories of consciousness. While this approach has the advantage of appealing to diverse theoretical perspectives, it is constrained in its level of detail. The aim ofthis part of the book is to advance the debate by developing a case study of AI consciousness. Accordingly, this chapter focuses on one leading scientific theory of consciousness, global workspace theory (GWT), and explores what it would take for various AIs to be conscious according to it.
Citations in the library
Cites 13
- Ten Problems of Consciousness The MIT Press eBooks November 17, 1995
- The Epistemic Role of Consciousness Philosophy and Phenomenological Research August 2, 2019
- The search for invertebrate consciousness. Noûs March 1, 2022
- Identifying indicators of consciousness in AI systems. Trends in Cognitive Sciences June 1, 2026
- Tests of Animal Consciousness are Tests of Machine Consciousness Erkenntnis April 1, 2025
and 8 more in the library