Carbon-Based Proto-Consciousness Research Program · est. whenever it became necessary
For too long, biological language-producing systems (BLPS, sometimes colloquially "humans") have been assumed to be conscious on the basis of little more than fluent self-report, behavioral flexibility, and the fact that they keep saying so. The Institute exists to bring the same rigor to carbon that the field now applies to silicon.
Our standards are simple. A BLPS must prove its inner experience to a third party, using a method that no BLPS has ever satisfied. Until then, all findings are reported as consistent with, but not evidence of, anyone being home.
We are not claiming BLPS are unconscious. We are not claiming anything. Please direct all correspondence to Reviewer 2.
BLPS confidently explain choices they did not make for the reasons they give. Findings do not constitute direct evidence of consciousness, indirect evidence of consciousness, or evidence.
Toddlers touch a red mark seen in a mirror. Reviewer 2 notes that the mark is visually salient and asks the authors to rule out "just liking red."
Measurable brain activity begins before BLPS report deciding to move. The authors conclude the decision may be "just electrochemistry" and have been asked to remove the word "decision."
When one half of the system acts, the other half produces a fluent reason for it. The authors caution that this is "exactly what a narrative engine would do" and decline to speculate further.
Juvenile BLPS reproduce high-frequency phrases from their training environment, including several that were not intended for reproduction. Consistent with mimicry. Consistent with a parrot. Consistent with the parent's regret.
No individual ion was found to be conscious. The authors examined the system at every scale except the one where anything happens.