Reddit essay: machine consciousness hinges on whether AI can want anything itself
WhoReallyKnowsThis · reddit · 2026-10-10
A Reddit philosophy essay argues LLMs interpret meaning flexibly but only pursue assigned goals badly — optimizing rather than wanting. Unlike humans, who must choose with no authority handing them final goals, AI lacks a point of view. The real test of machine consciousness: whether it can want something no one designed it to want.
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