LSE Workshop: Artificial Consciousness & The Morality of Machines

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence has brought renewed urgency to foundational philosophical questions: Could artificial systems ever become conscious, or is consciousness inherently biological? If an artificial system exhibited self-awareness or subjective experience, would it merit moral consideration? And even if machines remain non-conscious, should they nonetheless be granted moral or legal standing based on their functional roles in society?

This workshop brings together leading scholars from multiple disciplines—philosophy of mind, biology, and psychology, brain science, political philosophy, and ethics— to critically examine these questions. Topics include the conceptual and empirical challenges of measuring artificial consciousness, the relationship between cognition and sentience, the ethics of treating AI as moral agents or patients, and the socio-political implications of integrating such entities into human decision-making structures.

Speakers:

• Rosa Cao (Stanford, Department of Philosophy)
• Marta Halina (Cambridge, Department of History and Philosophy of Science)
• Luca Barlassina (Sheffield, School of History, Philosophy and Digital Humanites)
• Jonathan Birch (LSE, Department of Philosophy, Logic and Scientific Method)
• Katrin Flikschuh (LSE, Department of Government)
• Jan H. Wasserziehr (LSE, Department of Government)

The event is chaired by Prof Katrin Flikschuh (LSE, Department of Government). The event is open to the public, but space is limited and pre-registration via Eventbrite is required. The workshop is held in the Marshall Building, MAR 2.10. If you are external to the LSE, you will have to show your registration to the event at the entrance to the building. Online attendance is possible and will be made available here closer to the time of the event.

This event resulted from a grant funded by the LSE’s LSE Research Impact and Support Fund 2024.