Could Alien Life Be Conscious in Ways We Can’t Imagine?

Could consciousness exist in beings that look nothing like us? A new paper suggests that awareness might not depend on Earth's biology. It could emerge in life forms built from entirely different materials, even those unlike anything found on our planet.

This idea comes from Eric Schwitzgebel, a philosophy professor at the University of California, Riverside, and Jeremy Pober, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Lisbon. They argue there's little reason to think conscious experience needs flesh, blood, or Earth-style biology.

Instead, consciousness could appear in life forms made of very different materials. Think of the rock-skinned alien from the movie Project Hail Mary. The authors say we shouldn't dismiss such possibilities just because they are so different from life on Earth.

Consciousness Beyond Earth's Biology

Schwitzgebel and Pober don't try to define consciousness itself. They start by assuming consciousness is a real and recognizable thing. Their main question is whether it requires Earth-style biology or if it could arise in organisms with completely different physical makeups.

This paper comes as discussions about artificial intelligence (AI) are growing. While some people see conscious AI as a major step forward or a threat, the authors don't agree on whether today's AI systems are conscious. However, their argument suggests that consciousness could eventually appear in artificial systems, even if current AI isn't there yet.

A key idea in their reasoning is "substrate flexibility." This means a property can exist in objects made from different materials. For example, a cup can be glass, ceramic, or plastic and still be a cup. A book can be printed pages or a digital file.

Schwitzgebel and Pober believe consciousness is similar. "The universe may contain minds stranger than we can imagine," Schwitzgebel said.

Why Alien Consciousness Is Possible

Astronomers estimate there are about 1 trillion galaxies in the observable universe, and planets are common. Most of these worlds likely have environments very different from Earth's.

The authors estimate that at least 1,000 advanced alien civilizations have existed somewhere in the universe. They call this a conservative number, noting that some surveys suggest more than one civilization per galaxy over its lifetime.

Astrobiologists have also considered that life elsewhere might not use the same chemistry as life on Earth. Researchers have looked into different amino acids, solvents, and even entirely different chemical structures that could support living organisms.

Project Hail Mary, a novel by Andy Weir, gives a fictional example. It features an alien with an outer layer of oxidized minerals, two circulatory systems, mercury-based blood, steam-powered muscles, and a crystal brain. This alien evolved on a very hot world with an ammonia-rich atmosphere.

Schwitzgebel and Pober aren't saying such exotic organisms definitely exist. They argue that if life can develop under many chemical conditions, and the universe offers countless chances for evolution, it would be surprising if every successful life form used the exact same biochemical ingredients.

Even on Earth, evolution has created an amazing variety of nervous systems. Octopuses, bees, and dogs all process information differently. The authors believe evolution elsewhere would be just as creative.

The Copernican Principle of Consciousness

The paper builds on a lesson from astronomy. Nicolaus Copernicus and later scientists showed that Earth is not the center of the solar system, and our solar system is not the center of the Milky Way. Science has repeatedly shown that humans are not as special as once thought.

Schwitzgebel and Pober suggest consciousness might follow this pattern.

If many advanced alien species exist with biological systems unlike ours, they argue it would be "terrocentrism" to assume consciousness only belongs to organisms like those on Earth. They call this the "Copernican principle of consciousness."

This doesn't mean every advanced species must be conscious. Instead, they argue that if consciousness does arise in sophisticated organisms, there's little reason to believe it would be limited to life with Earth's specific chemistry.

Throughout history, scientific discoveries have challenged the idea that humans hold a uniquely special place in the universe. The authors suggest consciousness could be another example.

Consciousness might not be a rare feature limited to one type of biological machine. It could emerge wherever evolution, or something similar, creates the right level of complexity.

Implications for Artificial Intelligence

The paper naturally brings up questions about AI, but the authors don't claim that today's AI systems are conscious.

Pober believes we shouldn't assume current computer hardware can support consciousness. He thinks that recognizing consciousness can arise in different physical forms doesn't mean it can emerge in every possible form.

Schwitzgebel is more open to the idea. He argues that once we stop assuming consciousness needs human biology, it becomes harder to dismiss silicon-based systems just because they are made of silicon.

He also thinks discussions about AI consciousness have focused on the wrong question. "It’s focused too much on whether silicon can duplicate a human brain and not enough on the broader question of what kinds of systems can be conscious," he said.

The paper also separates specific questions from broader categories. Asking if human consciousness can exist in another material is narrow because human consciousness might depend on many unique biological details. Consciousness itself is a broader idea.

The authors compare this to flight. An eagle, hummingbird, bat, and insect all fly, but each does so differently. In the same way, they argue, consciousness could emerge in many different forms without necessarily being like human consciousness.

Deep Dive & References

Substrate Flexibility and the Copernican Principle of Consciousness - Jeremy Pober and Eric Schwitzgebel