Philosophers Argue Consciousness Could Span 1,000 Civilizations Beyond Earth Biology
Updated
Updated · Universe Today · Jun 15
Philosophers Argue Consciousness Could Span 1,000 Civilizations Beyond Earth Biology
2 articles · Updated · Universe Today · Jun 15
Summary
Eric Schwitzgebel and Jeremy Pober argue in a new working paper that consciousness is likely “substrate flexible,” meaning it need not depend on human or even Earth-based biology.
Their case starts from a narrower premise than defining consciousness itself: if consciousness is real and recognizable, it could be realized in different physical materials, much as the same function can be carried by different media.
At least 1,000 behaviorally sophisticated civilizations may have existed across the observable universe, they estimate, making it unlikely every conscious lineage would share the same biochemical makeup.
The pair frame that view as a “Copernican principle of consciousness,” arguing it is unjustified terrocentrism to assume awareness belongs only to Earth-like organisms.
Artificial intelligence remains an open question: Pober says substrate flexibility does not imply every substrate qualifies, while Schwitzgebel says ruling out silicon purely for being silicon is harder to defend.