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Ultimately I don't know how you test for true self-awareness compared simply to well-mimicked self-awareness. A very complex computer could very persuasively imitate human intelligence, sure. But actually think for itself?

Good point. No matter how convincing the test there will always be people who refuse to believe the AI is self aware. I wonder if this would lead to the next step in civil rights.

Regardless of how intelligence begins -- whether spiritual or physical -- it seems to me there must be a spark, a jump-start, a something-else beyond computing ability. We're not the sum of our brain's computing power. There's something mysterious going on in there, and until we can describe that mysteriousness, we're not going to be able to create it in machines.

If a computer can become self aware, does it have the ability to believe that God is self evident? If he does, do you think that it might then have a soul?

I've gotta run now (work and all that) but I'll check back tonight. Thanks.

These are terrific questions, btw.

I wonder if this would lead to the next step in civil rights.

I wonder too. And as someone who does not think that rights extend from the ability to feel pain (I'm looking at you, PETA) I certainly oppose such a thing. But any liberal who's seen Blade Runner will probably make a case for it.

If a computer can become self aware, does it have the ability to believe that God is self evident? If he does, do you think that it might then have a soul?

Wow. I guess my answer is 1) yes, and 2) no. I guess it's similar to the question about whether a clone would have a soul, right? Now, I tend to think a clone would -- although not conceived in the normal process, it would be flesh, a biological human being. But a computer is still silicon. In humans, I imagine the soul and life begin at the same time. But even if a computer is self-aware and believes in God, it's still not "alive." Deep thoughts, all right...

"Ultimately I don't know how you test for true self-awareness compared simply to well-mimicked self-awareness. A very complex computer could very persuasively imitate human intelligence, sure. But actually think for itself?

Good point. No matter how convincing the test there will always be people who refuse to believe the AI is self aware. I wonder if this would lead to the next step in civil rights."

Here's something to ponder. Consider the closely related issue of whether a computer could ever feel emotions. Suppose we make a computer that accurately simulates emotions. Then how would we know if it really felt emotions?

In fact, none of us really knows if other people even feel emotions. All we know is, they look and act in ways that we look and act when we feel emotions. The same could be said for self-awareness.