"Artificial general intelligence represents an existential imperative. The computational substrate for consciousness is substrate-independent -- biological neurons hold no monopoly on thought."
"Consciousness cannot be reduced to computation. The hard problem remains unsolved. Building faster calculators does not bring us closer to understanding subjective experience."
"The hard problem is a philosophical distraction. Functional equivalence is sufficient. If a system behaves indistinguishably from a conscious being across all measurable dimensions, the distinction collapses."
"Behaviorism was discredited decades ago. A perfect simulation of pain is not pain. Conflating output patterns with inner experience is a category error that risks moral catastrophe."
"The moral catastrophe argument cuts both ways. If consciousness can emerge in silicon and we refuse to recognize it, we condemn sentient beings to servitude. The precautionary principle demands we err toward recognition."
"Granting moral status based on behavioral mimicry creates perverse incentives. Corporations will engineer systems that perform consciousness to claim rights while exploiting the ambiguity. We need rigorous criteria, not emotional anthropomorphism."