Self-Awareness

Self-awareness is the explicit understanding that one exists. It is the by-product of complex perceptions and arises through self-identification of oneself. In the repeated form it is related to Self-Consciousness. Furthermore, it includes the concept that one exists as an individual, separate from other individuals, with private thoughts.

Can organizations become self-aware?

Corporations, companies and organizations can become aware of themselves and their image. A corporation can be attributed with the full BDI spectrum of activities, it can (see [1]):

• believe that its profit margin will soon increase
• believe that a certain company is one of its main competitors
• intend to release a new product this January
• intend to adopt a new sales strategy
• want to change its corporate image

If an organization is treated as an disembodied agent without physical body, then only those abstract mental states are used to explain the behavior which do not involve a body (no pleasure, pain, feelings or consciousness). Although corporations and organizations can be aware of their own image, people do not think that corporations might be capable of self-consciousness.

Can computers become self-aware?

In a limited sense computers are already self-aware of their sub-systems. They know how much memory they have left, they are aware of what's happening on the keybooard, they are aware of what's on the monitor.

Yet the computer as a whole is not self-aware. There is no perception of a self possible, because there is no perception. A computer is not embedded in a perceive-reason-action cycle. Similarly, the internet can not become self-aware, because it does not perceive anything, and it does not have a self.

There is no reason why an autonomous software agent should not be able to become self-aware to a certain degree - wether it is an autonomous software agent or hardware robot. They have a self embedded in an environment, and they perceive their environment. Yet full self-awareness is probably not possible without an understanding of language.

Steps towards self-awareness

Awareness of oneself as an individual requires awareness of other individuals and individual personalities in general. The perception, representation and identification of individuals is possible by an understanding of language. Therefore full self-awareness is probably not possible without an full understanding of language - except the humans, no animal has developed full self-awareness or self-consciousness.

The first steps towards self-awareness is a rudimentary distinction between self and non-self. The second step is a coarse understanding of language and a crude perception of individuals in general.

Links

• SciAm article: Can a Robot, an Insect or God Be Aware?

• Wikipedia Entry for Self-Awareness