Synthetic consciousness refers to attempts by computer scientists and others to implement machines which, as a minimum, give the impression to observers that they possess aspects of consciousness.
The term synthetic consciousness is preferred here to simulated consciousness because anything simulated is by definition not real. Synthetic consciousness is a term which includes the possibility of a synthesised real consciousness. The term is a synonym of Artificial consciousness (AC) and of Machine Consciousness.
Notable Researchers:
- Cynthia Breazeal, developer of Kismet (robot)
- Rodney Brooks
- David Chalmers
- Daniel Dennett
- Gerald Edelman
- Steve Grand, creator of Creatures and author of Growing up with Lucy
- Douglas Hofstadter, author of Gödel, Escher, Bach
- Raymond Kurzweil, author, inventor, computer scientist, etc.
- Colin McGinn
- Thomas Nagel
- Roger Penrose
- John Searle
