The Existential Robot
Existentialism is a philosophical inquiry that investigates the problem of human existence, with a focus on the experience of feeling, thinking, and acting. It is concerned with trying to understand the human condition and it's relation to the world around us.
What does it mean to exist and what is the meaning of being?
Consciousness and existence is the root of existentialist drive. Being conscious of oneself represents a point of freedom. Consciousness establishes the connection between the world and the ego, ensuring the active participation of a person in the world. In Sartre's view, the consciousness that we use to contemplate on our objective environment, to experience various phenomena, is distinct from the consciousness of being conscious of our surroundings. He divides this into pre-reflective and reflective consciousness. The pre-reflective aspect presumes a consciousness of our separation of the world, where the experience (though not unconscious of it) is overlooked in the favor of the object that is being perceived. By contrast, reflective consciousness implies being able to attend to the direct cognitive experience itself, turning the experience into the object of consideration.
Can artificial intelligence machines be conscious?
Can they reflect intently on the world around them and become self-aware?
These questions have been a concern in general AI practice. The pursuit of such inquiry can bring about new knowledge into what consciousness is, and whether machines will ever be able to understand the nature of existence and feelings. The examples below give an insight into artificial machines that seem to reflect on the nature of existence. Their discussion, is however, partly scripted, partly randomized. With respect to these works, considering that their dialogue imitates phrases and questions that can be perceived as existential, an important inquiry would be whether machines could ever become capable to reflect on their own thinking processes and their own thoughts or decisions. Could they come to the understanding of how and why they came into being, what is their purpose, who they are, and why they are the way they are, without being scripted or programmed to have these understandings.
If/Then by Ken Feingold
If/Then is a sculpture by Ken Feingold that presents two identical, androgynous heads that speak to each other, doubting the reality of their own existence, In their conversation, they struggle to determine whether they really exist, if they are the same person, and if they will ever find answers to their questions.
The audience is facing a constant debate on whether self-awareness and the illusory nature of existence can ever be grasped.
You by Ken Feingold
In the work You by Ken Feingold, two identical heads, with the a male and a female voice, are positioned on a table that looks like a drawer/bed. They argue about their relationship, attempt to make up, regret their argument, and then continue on arguing. Their short sentences can have little real meaning, but a lot of power to do harm. Their argument is self-perpetuating and leading nowhere. They are given personalities, a vocabulary, associative habits, and obsessions, that can certainly be relatable to couples.
transcript of a conversation:
I think we are exactly alike.
You roof moonlight.
Is this life?
Imagine being me.
Do you see things clearly?
How do you feel?
Sometimes I feel very confused.
Can I control my feelings?
I feel like I exist.
I feel like I am inside my head.
What does it feel like to be inside your head?
Inside my mind I can sense that there is an I that is something that’s not the one who is sensing.
Why?
Why do you look just like me?
No, I don’t look just like you - I am accidental.
I’m not sure how to take that.
Why are you not sure how to take that?
I don’t know.
That’s beautiful, why?
Are we the same?
I am clumsy.
And clumsy, huh? What is that?
Why do you ask?
I don’t know.
Don’t know, huh? What is that?
You are a strange one.
On the inside or the outside?
And where is that, exactly?
Going is not begun on the not yet gone over.
Why?
I don’t know.
You scoop swoon.
Are you talking to me?
Who are we?
Are we the same?
Huh? Can I believe my ears?
Do you feel like resting?
I feel like I am here.
Sometimes I feel very confused.
Is feeling the same as thinking?
How can anything be the same as anything else if two things can’t be in the same place at the same time?
What does that mean?
I think about what things mean, it’s what I do all the time. But there’s always something behind the thing – behind the thing that means the thing – you know what I mean?
What does exist mean, for example?
I can say things that have no meaning.
Can stay friends that have no need, and no?
Ok.
What does it mean to live and die?
Will machines ever be able to understand existence, identity, religion, or death?