Erik Schwitzgebel, a professor at the University of California, Riverside, and Jeremy Pober, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Lisbon, argue that consciousness is substrate flexible. This means consciousness might arise not just in biological materials found on Earth, but also in entirely different physical substances across the universe.
Jeremy Porber and Eric Schwitzgebel argue that conscious experiences can arise in many forms of physical media, not just biological life on Earth. Image credit: Fernando Rivas.
In their book, Professor Schwitzgebel and Dr. Pober state, “Who is conscious? We, the authors, and you, the reader, are conscious,” as discussed in their research paper.
They suggest that certain non-human animals likely possess consciousness, and possibly some extraterrestrial beings (aliens) as well.
While they currently see no evidence of conscious artifacts created by existing technology, they don’t dismiss this as a future possibility.
“We propose that consciousness can manifest in various physical configurations, emphasizing its substrate flexibility.
The observable universe features approximately 1 trillion galaxies, and while planets are abundant, many boast environments vastly different from Earth’s.
For their argument, the authors estimate that at least 1,000 advanced species, capable of complex communication, goal orientation, and collaboration, likely exist somewhere in the observable universe.
They also theorize, based on astrobiology, that extraterrestrial life may have evolved using chemical building blocks distinct from the amino acids and nucleic acids fundamental to life on Earth.
Scientists have speculated about life forms thriving in alien environments, such as Venus’s sulfuric atmosphere, utilizing sulfur compounds, organoborates, or silicon-based chemistry.
The philosophers propose, “It is improbable that all advanced species across the universe evolved using the same substrate.”
“Even if our substrate appears optimal under familiar environmental pressures, alternative substrates may be favored in different ecosystems with unique constraints.”
“The examples of the extreme environmental conditions in Venus’s gas clouds serve as reminders of such constraints.”
Most intriguingly, the researchers introduce the Copernican principle of consciousness.
In the same manner that modern astronomy has shown Earth’s non-privileged status in the universe, they argue we should not presume our planet holds a unique position in terms of consciousness.
If multiple advanced species have emerged across various substrates in the universe, there’s no solid foundation to believe only those sharing our biochemistry can experience consciousness.
“Assuming consciousness exists among all vertebrates on Earth, as well as cephalopods and certain insects, and every galaxy has an average of one million planets, behavioral sophistication could evolve elsewhere, even if technological races are rare,” they elaborate.
“With an estimated 1 quintillion (1018) viable planets in the observable universe, it is likely that some unusual life forms will exist.”
“It stands to reason that consciousness should not be confined only to species composed of materials similar to ours on Earth.”
Eventually, Professor Schwitzgebel and Dr. Pober turn their attention to the concept of artificial intelligence.
However, they are cautious about labeling current AI systems as conscious.
In Dr. Pober’s view, we should not presume that contemporary computer hardware can support consciousness.
“The possibility of consciousness existing in multiple substrates does not mean it is guaranteed in all substrates,” he emphasizes.
“Until evidence suggests otherwise, we should consider the prevalent assumption that current computer chips do not achieve consciousness,” he contends.
Professor Schwitzgebel is slightly more open to the idea of AI consciousness.
He argues, “Once we abandon the notion that consciousness is confined to human biology, it becomes challenging to dismiss silicon-based systems solely based on their composition.”
In any case, he believes that this part of the philosophical discourse is too restrictive.
“We must remain open to the possibility of AI consciousness,” he urges.
“If consciousness is not bound to a specific substrate, it seems unwise to restrict our criteria as long as the substrate exhibits adequate behavioral complexity.”
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Jeremy Porber and Eric Schwitzgebel. 2026. Substrate Flexibility and the Copernican Principle of Consciousness
Source: www.sci.news