Thinkers and scientists are worried about Artificial Intelligence becoming sentient one day and causing many ethical dilemmas. The world certainly needs preparation to deal with the moral and ethical problems arising from the ever increasing technological innovations. Many scientists believing that there can only be ‘progress’ with regards to scientific developments agree that machines will one day take over the human world. Some scholars however warn humans of the danger of anthropomorphizing machines and harnessing such beliefs which will only cause alarm amongst the ordinary citizens.
However, if one looks at Indian Darshanas, there can be some hope and solace. Western materialism and science is of the overriding view that consciousness and sentience is secondary to matter. Starting with the atoms, matter organizes itself in higher orders of complexity (molecules, inanimate matter and then finally animate matter). The development of sentience and consciousness is a logical outcome of such a progress of complexity and it is only a matter of time. Machines asking the question, ‘Who am I’ are just around the corner. The corner might be a few thousand years from now but it will come.
Indian philosophies are very clear on its stand (a few western philosophers too but maintaining a contradictory deep relevance to science) that Consciousness (with a capital C) is a primary entity and stands separate to matter. ‘Mind and matter’ belong to another set and are two sides of the same coin. The human brain, a manifestation of matter, does its functions when ‘electrified’ by the primary entity called Consciousness (also called Self or Brahman in Advaita Vedanta). In such a stand, machines can never develop the sentience and consciousness which the west is so scared of.
Machines might become the smartest with the progress of technology and might surpass the capacities of the human brain in terms of what it can achieve. However, they will always fall short of the primary qualities of Consciousness as per Indian philosophies- ‘Existence, Awareness, and Bliss’ (I know I exist, I am aware of myself, and I have a potential for maximal bliss). Machines will never have these according to Indian philosophy though their potential to help human brains might appear limitless. Importantly, the ethical issues which plagues the western world regarding the ‘progress of science’ may create an impression in Indian philosophies. Even though machines will never have consciousness, the human attempt to intervene in the workings of the human body (for example the attempt to implant a chip in the human brain to enhance its capabilities) can invoke certain ethical questions about dharma even in Indian philosophies.
Dangers exist in the external world which may even lead to extinction of the species and the world but the purpose of life is entirely in a different direction turned inwards towards the Self. Science is important for the external world and to make our lives better in the fields of artha and kama. There is no denial of these two in the purposes of life (purusharthas) so long as dharma (righteous living) forms its foundation. Depending on many issues which include the karmic destiny of the human population, science in the external world may lead to a flowering of a better life or plain extinction of the human species. But the primary purpose of life is to gain moksha or to reach the state of Consciousness or the Self which transcends the world of science. Machines will always remain machines requiring the sentience of the Primary Consciousness, firmly declare the Indian Darshanas.
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