The study by philosophy professors Eric Schwitzgebel of the University of California and Jeremy Pober of the University of Lisbon argues that awareness of one's existence does not depend on the biological structure that has evolved on Earth.
The researchers don't claim that exotic alien spirits definitely exist, but they argue that consciousness is too flexible to be limited to chemical recipes like ours.
Flexibility beyond matter
The philosophers' argument is based on a concept called “inertial elasticity.” The fact that a feature can be realized with different materials shows that it has this flexibility.
For example, just as making a jar out of glass or plastic does not change its ability to hold water, it is said that consciousness can come to life through more than one physical mechanism.
When this approach is applied to the vast size of the observable universe, it is estimated that there have been at least a thousand civilizations with evolved behavioral patterns throughout the history of the cosmos.
It is emphasized that in such a vast universe, where life can thrive under very different chemical conditions, it is logically very unlikely that every successful living creature has chosen exactly the same biochemical formula.
Copernican revolution in your head
Every major discovery in the history of astronomy has moved humanity further from the center of the universe, making it a humble place.
Researchers apply this philosophical lesson to the mind itself, calling it the “Copernican principle of consciousness.”
It is stated that the assumption that consciousness belongs only to human-like beings is a geocentric error and unfounded arrogance.
When it comes to artificial intelligence, researchers cannot reach complete consensus. It is warned that the flexibility of some systems does not mean that every artificial structure can achieve consciousness and that today's silicon technology may not be able to achieve this.
However, it is recognized that it will be difficult to completely eliminate silicon-based systems once the requirements of human biology are abandoned.
Experts say the really important question is not whether a machine can mimic the human brain, but rather which systems could truly experience an “awakening.”
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