What Is It Like to Be Intelligent?

There are many formal models of consciousness, including the Higher-Order Theory of Consciousness. It seems to say that the entirety of consciousness happens within different parts of the neocortex, with feedback loops from the sensory cortex to working memory areas. The key is that you are only conscious if you have a representation of your experience. It’s not enough for your neocortex to receive a visual stimulus of seeing a red balloon, you must have a specific representation of seeing a red balloon to be conscious of the experience. (View Highlight)

Integrated Information Theory The idea that consciousness is purely a function of information is called substrate independence. Meaning, it is not limited by our physical systems of the brain and body, but can be reproduced artificially in silicon or metal. This makes no claim that we know how to pull off such a feat, or that it will be easy, just that it is possible (View Highlight)