Philosophical Landscapes of Identity and Sentience

This chapter explores the philosophical intricacies surrounding identity, consciousness, and the moral consideration of artificial beings. It analyzes thought experiments pertinent to personhood and challenges conventional views on the distinction between humans and machines, emphasizing lived experiences as a critical component of moral status. Through discussing the implications of non-organic sentience, the chapter invites listeners to reconsider their intuitions about suffering and the moral obligations humans may hold towards different forms of intelligence.