Searching for Consciousness in Unfamiliar Entities: The Need for Both Systematic Investigation and Imagination

Human cerebral organoids grown in bioreactors may develop some form of consciousness, raising both scientific and ethical questions. The authors argue that current evidence for consciousness in organoids is insufficient but that the possibility cannot be dismissed. They propose a precautionary approach: researchers should monitor organoids for signs of consciousness, establish ethical guidelines for their creation and use, and consider the moral status such entities might have. The paper examines the scientific challenges of detecting consciousness in a neural model without a body and the bioethical implications of potentially creating conscious entities in a laboratory.

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Abstract

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