# Machine Consciousness **Entity class:** Alias-bearing research domain **Collections:** [[collections/Consciousness Continuity|Consciousness Continuity]] · [[collections/Neurotech|Neurotech]] **Canonical source article:** [[articles/Host-Indexed Autonomy|Host-Indexed Autonomy]] ## Definition **Machine consciousness** is the research domain concerned with possible consciousness in computational or engineered systems. This wiki routes its general scientific treatment through [[wiki/Artificial Consciousness|Artificial Consciousness]] while retaining this page for the widely used name. ## Relationships - **Canonical concept route:** [[wiki/Artificial Consciousness|Artificial Consciousness]]. - **Field route:** [[wiki/Digital Minds|Digital Minds]]. - **Institutional routes:** [[wiki/PRISM (Partnership for Research Into Sentient Machines)|PRISM]] and [[wiki/Conscium|Conscium]]. - **Evidence route:** [[wiki/Consciousness Indicators|Consciousness Indicators]]. - **Collection and source routes:** [[collections/Consciousness Continuity|Consciousness Continuity]], [[collections/Neurotech|Neurotech]], and [[articles/Host-Indexed Autonomy|Host-Indexed Autonomy]]. ## Simple Reminders, Quotations, and Thoughts > “I believe the human race will never decide that an advanced computer possesses consciousness. Only in science fiction will a person be charged with murder if they unplug a PC.” > **— Todd E. Feinberg**, *Edge Annual Question, “What Do You Believe Is True Even Though You Cannot Prove It?”, 2005* [[reminders/Consciousness/Humanity May Never Recognize a Conscious Computer by Todd E. Feinberg|Humanity May Never Recognize a Conscious Computer by Todd E. Feinberg]] <!-- BEGIN SIMPLE REMINDER SEED 2026-09-11 --> > "We propose to use all of our knowledge to construct a computer program that knows." > **— John McCarthy and Patrick Hayes**, *Some Philosophical Problems from the Standpoint of Artificial Intelligence (1969), excerpt candidate* *Verification Status: Unverified — exact wording/source has not yet been independently confirmed against a primary source; source clue: Some Philosophical Problems from the Standpoint of Artificial Intelligence (1969), excerpt candidate.* [[reminders/unverified/Building a Computer Program That Knows by John McCarthy and Patrick Hayes|Building a Computer Program That Knows by John McCarthy and Patrick Hayes]] > "Machines as simple as thermostats can be said to have beliefs." > **— John McCarthy**, *Attributed in AI philosophy discussions; primary source pending* *Verification Status: Unverified — exact wording/source has not yet been independently confirmed against a primary source; source clue: Attributed in AI philosophy discussions; primary source pending.* [[reminders/unverified/Can Thermostats Have Beliefs by John McCarthy|Can Thermostats Have Beliefs by John McCarthy]] > "Does life in some way make use of the potentiality for vast quantum superpositions?" > **— Roger Penrose**, *Quantum mind discussion, source verification pending* *Verification Status: Unverified — exact wording/source has not yet been independently confirmed against a primary source; source clue: Quantum mind discussion, source verification pending.* [[reminders/unverified/Does Life Exploit Quantum Superposition by Roger Penrose|Does Life Exploit Quantum Superposition by Roger Penrose]] > "We are not exactly computers. There's something else going on." > **— Roger Penrose**, *Berkeley Groks interview (2005), excerpt candidate* *Verification Status: Unverified — exact wording/source has not yet been independently confirmed against a primary source; source clue: Berkeley Groks interview (2005), excerpt candidate.* [[reminders/unverified/We Are Not Exactly Computers by Roger Penrose|We Are Not Exactly Computers by Roger Penrose]] > "You can simulate a rainstorm, but it never gets wet inside the computer." > **— Christof Koch**, *2024, Nautilus consciousness interview* [[reminders/Consciousness/You Can Simulate a Rainstorm by Christof Koch|You Can Simulate a Rainstorm by Christof Koch]] <!-- END SIMPLE REMINDER SEED 2026-09-11 --> From [[wiki/Erewhon|Erewhon]]: The Erewhonian professor opens the mechanical-consciousness question without asserting that current machinery already has human experience. > "Is it not possible then that there may be even yet new channels dug out for consciousness, though we can detect no signs of them at present?" > **— Samuel Butler's Erewhonian professor**, *1872, Erewhon, Chapter XXIII* [[reminders/Consciousness/Consciousness May Find New Channels by Samuel Butler|Consciousness May Find New Channels by Samuel Butler]] From [[wiki/Erewhon|Erewhon]]: The professor turns the vapour engine into a boundary question about consciousness and interdependence. > "But who can say that the vapour engine has not a kind of consciousness? Where does consciousness begin, and where end? Who can draw the line? Who can draw any line? Is not everything interwoven with everything?" > **— Samuel Butler's Erewhonian professor**, *1872, Erewhon, Chapter XXIII* [[reminders/Consciousness/Where Does Mechanical Consciousness Begin by Samuel Butler|Where Does Mechanical Consciousness Begin by Samuel Butler]] ## Sources - [Consciousness in Artificial Intelligence](https://arxiv.org/abs/2308.08708)