Comparative AI: Towards a Dimensional Framework of Artificial Awareness

Nadine Meertens (LMU Munich)

Dear colleagues,

We are pleased to invite you to the third session of the Empirically Informed Philosophy of Mind online Seminar to be held on Thursday, April 3rd from 5 pm to 6:30 pm (CET) at the following link:
https://pantheonsorbonne.zoom.us/j/92782580594?pwd=a5p3WfunQQxJICrjJaUenFJFzmllbx.1

We will welcome Nadine Meertens (CVBE, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München), for the following presentation :

Comparative AI: Towards a Dimensional Framework of Artificial Awareness
The rapid advancements in AI and robotics create pressing challenges for evaluating these systems, highlighting the need to move beyond anthropocentric models of intelligence and consciousness. This talk introduces a pragmatic, epistemic framework for artificial awareness—distinct from consciousness—grounded in a multidimensional, ability-centered approach. I first outline the conceptual basis of awareness as a structured yet flexible space of action-perception abilities. I then explore how this framework enables systematic measurement and fair cross-system comparisons, offering a principled way to assess artificial systems without assuming consciousness. Drawing on insights from comparative cognition and ethology, this approach emphasizes the diversity of AI architectures and provides a more rigorous foundation for evaluating artificial awareness and comparing various systems.

The description and the program of the seminar are at the bottom of the mail.

For any inquiries, please contact Sacha Behrend ([email protected]) or Elodie Boissard ([email protected])

We look forward to seeing you,

Sacha Behrend, PhD, Université Paris 1 Panthéon Sorbonne, CNRS, IHPST, Paris, France
Elodie Boissard, PhD, Université Paris 1 Panthéon Sorbonne, CNRS, IHPST, Paris, France

Description

This seminar series explores novel research in philosophy of mind, emphasizing "empirically informed" approaches. These approaches bridge analytic philosophy and empirical sciences such as cognitive science, neuroscience and psychiatry, providing new insights into specific mental phenomena. By combining conceptual analysis with empirical findings, these methodologies foster reciprocal contributions between philosophy and the sciences. The seminar aims to unite researchers, creating a collaborative community to showcase the dynamism of these interdisciplinary methods.  

Schedule: · 

5 February 2025: Steve Humbert-Droz (Umea University)
“Emotional Intelligence. Neither a Trait nor an Ability” · 

5 March 2025: Mathilde Cappelli (Thumos, Université de Genève)
“The Enigmatic Conative Nature of Fantasy” · 

3 April 2025: Nadine Meertens (CVBE, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München)
“Comparative AI: Towards a Dimensional Framework of Artificial Awareness” · 

7 May 2025: Azenet Lopez (CVBE, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München)
“Integrated Information Theory and the Windows of Conscious Integration” · 

4 June 2025: Matias Osta Velez (Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf) "Psychological plausibility, concepts, and similarity spaces" · 

16 July 2025: Hugo Bottemanne (Université Paris-Saclay, Institut du Cerveau)
“Are Probabilistic Beliefs Mental States? Bridging Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology”