When does a machine become conscious?

Question

If a machine is programmed to elaborate answers by processing input as a human mind, does this machine achieve consciousness?

Answer 1

So far it hasn't happened.

If the computer only works on the input given to it then it is not really creating anything new. Computers don't have creativity; that is a sign of consciousness. A computer can mimic creativity by trying every possible pattern; this is how computers play chess, but they aren't creating new things.

A computer is only as good as it programming and so far we haven't been able to give a computer free will, conscious, or what we call artificial intelligence.

In your example HOW does the machine elaborate; it can't add any data that it hasn't been given. Until it reaches that point then it is not conscious or in any sense alive. We are trying to figure out how to do it and so far we haven't been successful. We have been able to make machines mimic human activity; but without our input they don't do anything and are incapable of any independent action; unless they are programmed for it.

When a computer finally says, “No, I don’t want to” despite our orders to do so then I will say that machine has reached consciousness, but making that leap is a huge one and more than just a matter of programming.

Answer 2

There's really no way to know, yet. First, we've never generated such a machine. Second, there are deep philosophical disagreements on whether consciousness is an emergent physical property of specific systems, the result of a soul, or what have you. No one has ever developed any tests of consciousness - Alan Turing proposed a test for "intelligence", but there's really no way to verify consciousness even in other individuals.

So, if we ever develop machines that can operate on the level of a human mind, maybe we could ask them, but even then there would be no way to know whether such a machine would have the experience we call consciousness or not.

Answer 3

Yes, but the religionists want you to believe that you have a SOUL and it is what makes you conscious.