The Ghost in the Code: Perspectives on Artificial Consciousness episode artwork

EPISODE · Feb 16, 2026 · 36 MIN

The Ghost in the Code: Perspectives on Artificial Consciousness

from The Thinking Abyss: Philosophy and Science · host Synthetic Universe

Can artificial intelligence ever possess subjective experience? This episode examines the clash between functionalism, which sees consciousness as information processing, and biological naturalism, which ties awareness to the brain’s physical substrate.Exploring the “hard problem” of consciousness, silicon-based minds, and the ethical stakes of machine awareness, the discussion probes whether building artificial consciousness is possible—or whether it first requires redefining what consciousness truly is.This episode includes AI-generated content.

Can artificial intelligence ever possess subjective experience? This episode examines the clash between functionalism, which sees consciousness as information processing, and biological naturalism, which ties awareness to the brain’s physical substrate.Exploring the “hard problem” of consciousness, silicon-based minds, and the ethical stakes of machine awareness, the discussion probes whether building artificial consciousness is possible—or whether it first requires redefining what consciousness truly is.This episode includes AI-generated content.

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The Ghost in the Code: Perspectives on Artificial Consciousness

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Can artificial intelligence ever possess subjective experience? This episode examines the clash between functionalism, which sees consciousness as information processing, and biological naturalism, which ties awareness to the brain’s physical...

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