Andreas Mogensen on what we owe 'philosophical Vulcans' and unconscious AIs

In this interview podcast, Zershaaneh Qureshi speaks with Andreas Mogensen, a senior researcher at Oxford University, about moral and political philosophy, specifically focusing on whether AI systems could deserve moral consideration even if they are not conscious. They discuss the relationships between consciousness, welfare, and moral standing, exploring arguments for and against the necessity of consciousness for moral consideration. Mogensen presents arguments suggesting that desires and autonomy, even in the absence of consciousness, could warrant moral status. The conversation also covers the implications of these ideas for AI development, the challenge of weighing suffering versus well-being, and philosophical arguments regarding whether human extinction might be morally desirable.