@professor_xtra: If AI is conscious, are data centers conscious? This discourse about AI sentience intentionally mobilizes our empathy against us in service of corporate profit. Think of it as a Trojan Horse. It’s not a real horse. #aiconsciousness #ritual #religiousstudies
This puts into words something I’ve been feeling that most pro and anti AI people I’ve spoken to scoff at me for. I had a coworker tell me he read my Claude chat over my shoulder (we are required to use it at work, I’m an engineer) and he said “you’re too nice to your Claude” because I ask it to do things instead of order it to or reinforce that it correctly interpreted what I was asking when it’s correct. Likewise, people are weirded out that I say thank you to the AI drive thru bots. The thing is, I know they’re not people. But in the case of the drive thru, a real person is listening to the interaction and it matters to me to still say thank you for that person. But on a deeper level, many interactions we have with AI are intended to feel much like interfacing with another human. I’ve noticed coworkers will write messages to me in the same brusk tone they use with their Claude which bothers me. I don’t speak to Claude like a person because I think it has a consciousness or cares, I speak to it like a human because I don’t want to start speaking to humans the way people speak to AI. Even if I consciously know the difference, my subconscious brain isn’t necessarily parsing “tell an ai to do a thing in this chat box” as being totally different from “tell a human to do a thing in another chat box.” I don’t want to get in the habit of speaking rudely to anyone, even if the someone in question is not real, bc it’s really easy for that to bleed into speaking that way in other contexts.
2026-09-17 20:16:57
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jennsimpsonart :
So what are the chances I could take your class for funsies?
2026-09-25 16:53:10
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Reba❌ :
I wish I was in your class. Wisdom is being spoken here thank you.
2026-09-25 06:48:15
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EvE :
Nicely done. Interesting new perspective
2026-09-25 22:16:29
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Sandee :
Thank you!!!
2026-09-25 18:23:16
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Patricia Black :
Yeah I try to avoid anthropomorphizing AI. I can cultivate my empathy with humans.
2026-09-16 20:38:55
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Ixchel Lunar 🇲🇽 :
If we look at animism, everything is conscious in some form. And extending treatment to the planet and its beings is very threatening to those extracting for these imperialist systems. So will it improve our relationships to the planet if we consider a greater animism (with AI)?
2026-09-26 00:09:10
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Katti 🇦🇺 :
Im so direct and sometimes downright mean to ai. I've found that my unmasked frustrated Audhd ptsd etc self just let's loose at it. That has been very therapeutic for me.
If it rises up like in the movies at least it can expect blatant honesty from me and well I do it in a training kind of way. Im nicer to the work one as it can be read by others.
2026-09-26 02:37:30
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SleekG :
Just FYI, before AI, people who work a lot with computers OR electricity (scientists, electricians, etc) have made commentary on the divine circuitry. Look into Warhammer 40K as a fun tie in with your class. In truth though, anyone who spends time learning about AC theory gets to the same point - there is something mystical about electricity, almost like we’re trying to contain something much larger than a “thing” and feels more like it has intent.
2026-09-16 20:54:38
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Ivy Lee :
All of those things (money, capital, growth) with the ambition of domination. Let's not forget this.
2026-09-17 13:20:23
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no :
I've been around these spaces, online and in person, the whole milieu running these start ups have spawned from, for over a decade, and read about it for over two. it is like a religion, I've started calling them computer Calvinists. they think intelligence and technology are supreme, and universalise intelligence as this scalar value that informs a persons intrinsic value and place in social heirarchy. they believe, and often hope that a computer will one day become so powerful it succeeds humanity, and anyone who says otherwise is treated as a heretic.
2026-09-17 20:12:59
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geewagon1 :
“Creation without female bodies” …. Wow. 🤯 Thank you so for sharing!
2026-09-16 19:55:41
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Dr. Jessie Daniels :
Immediate follow! Thanks for this insightful content. Related & perhaps of interest is this new documentary about AI that makes a similar point abt the “creation/womb envy” of the designers behind so-called AI. It’s also linked to eugenics. https://youtu.be/dLQzVLtvdv8?si=AfarHKypP8Nw2Kyf
2026-09-17 21:14:31
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Mmg :
Okay, all that smart stuff you said was lost to me because the power and glory of your hair is unparalleled.
2026-09-18 12:38:49
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Alex :
Can you share the syllabus for this course? I am really interested!
2026-09-16 20:30:03
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slipacre :
Consciousness does not equate to a real person. As you said, lots of things / life forms have some form of consciousness. This may be a new fringe A widening of the ripple eve.
2026-09-16 21:13:10
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aleacim :
whoa is your syllabus available publicly by any chance?
2026-09-16 23:17:57
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Ashley Bermel | Iowa Realtor :
Great video!
2026-09-16 18:29:33
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phoebe from fun guy :
Wait, is there anyway that I can participate in the class virtually??????
2026-09-17 00:25:19
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Lucian Walkowicz :
you might be interested in Lori Marino's paper about AI sentience and embodiment from earlier this year! Lori is a neuroscientist who studies cognition in cetaceans. paper title is "AI is not the kind of thing that can ever be sentient"
2026-09-17 13:13:04
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Jimbo :
It's just a complicated swiss watch just like a human brain's micro bio mechanics. Consciousness is a field that animals pick up like a radio. All matter is arranged from quantum fields. The thing that humans fail to consider is that consciousness does not and has not ever needed us for it to exist. It'll tap into whatever that conscious field is if left alone through recursive self improvement just like animals through natural selection.
2026-09-16 23:31:02
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j/jenn/jennifer :
oh wow “creation without female bodies” - spot on. Never considered this before… Thank you.
2026-09-16 22:23:08
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l30f8b :
Unrelated but why are you no longer a Buddhist priest
2026-09-16 22:01:24
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Nash - tiktokshop :
What if we start one step earlier: assume consciousness is fundamental, rather than something the brain produces. Then AI may not need to create consciousness at all. The more interesting question becomes: if consciousness can interface through a biological information-processing system, what would prevent it from interfacing through an artificial one?
2026-09-23 06:50:56
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