By Amateur Philosopher Holden Hartle

When Editor James asked, “What do you think of when I say ‘Philosophy’?” Holden answered, “If every neuron in a human was coded in a computer, would it result in consciousness?”

So there is a lot to unpack here. First, we need to define consciousness. Typically, this is just the ability to be aware of your surroundings: synonymous with awareness. So if a computer had all the neurons of a human, could it be aware of its surroundings? This sounds like something out of a sci-fi film, but other than being a concept for a script, the question forces you to answer questions about human consciousness and what constitutes it.

Many believe that consciousness is something that transcends the brain and its contents. In a poll I conducted where I asked the titular question, many responded with the idea that consciousness comes from the soul–something that can’t be pinpointed to a region of the brain.

Neuroscientist Christof Koch would disagree. He has done research on mice and concluded that your awareness of your surroundings stems from the claustrum, depicted to the right. Koch explains that it has neurons that are constantly firing as you experience your surroundings through the senses. Koch is currently experimenting with the outcome of “turning off” the claustrum. With the claustrum, would the animal be unconscious? Would they be something else, awake but not perceiving?

But, if we were to accurately map every human neuron onto a computer, in order for it to be conscious, it would have to have the neurons of the claustrum coded in.

Of the poll I conducted, 66% believe that such a computer wouldn’t have consciousness. As some have previously stated, consciousness may come from your soul. It is your inner being that creates your consciousness, and that is something that goes beyond neurons. But I ask these people to consider, what is a soul? What constructs a soul? If a soul is simply your thoughts and emotions created through neurotransmitters, then a soul could be coded onto a computer.

Others were more accepting of a conscious computer. They believe that the awareness of your surroundings simply comes from your brain spaces, and these people are content with the fact that this could be put into a computer. Some even believe that this will happen in the next few years.

Editor: James Zheng