Powered by OpenAIRE graph
Found an issue? Give us feedback
image/svg+xml art designer at PLoS, modified by Wikipedia users Nina, Beao, JakobVoss, and AnonMoos Open Access logo, converted into svg, designed by PLoS. This version with transparent background. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Open_Access_logo_PLoS_white.svg art designer at PLoS, modified by Wikipedia users Nina, Beao, JakobVoss, and AnonMoos http://www.plos.org/ ZENODOarrow_drop_down
image/svg+xml art designer at PLoS, modified by Wikipedia users Nina, Beao, JakobVoss, and AnonMoos Open Access logo, converted into svg, designed by PLoS. This version with transparent background. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Open_Access_logo_PLoS_white.svg art designer at PLoS, modified by Wikipedia users Nina, Beao, JakobVoss, and AnonMoos http://www.plos.org/
ZENODO
Preprint . 2026
License: CC BY
Data sources: ZENODO
image/svg+xml art designer at PLoS, modified by Wikipedia users Nina, Beao, JakobVoss, and AnonMoos Open Access logo, converted into svg, designed by PLoS. This version with transparent background. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Open_Access_logo_PLoS_white.svg art designer at PLoS, modified by Wikipedia users Nina, Beao, JakobVoss, and AnonMoos http://www.plos.org/
ZENODO
Preprint . 2026
License: CC BY
Data sources: ZENODO
image/svg+xml art designer at PLoS, modified by Wikipedia users Nina, Beao, JakobVoss, and AnonMoos Open Access logo, converted into svg, designed by PLoS. This version with transparent background. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Open_Access_logo_PLoS_white.svg art designer at PLoS, modified by Wikipedia users Nina, Beao, JakobVoss, and AnonMoos http://www.plos.org/
ZENODO
Preprint . 2026
License: CC BY
Data sources: ZENODO
image/svg+xml art designer at PLoS, modified by Wikipedia users Nina, Beao, JakobVoss, and AnonMoos Open Access logo, converted into svg, designed by PLoS. This version with transparent background. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Open_Access_logo_PLoS_white.svg art designer at PLoS, modified by Wikipedia users Nina, Beao, JakobVoss, and AnonMoos http://www.plos.org/
ZENODO
Preprint . 2026
License: CC BY
Data sources: ZENODO
image/svg+xml art designer at PLoS, modified by Wikipedia users Nina, Beao, JakobVoss, and AnonMoos Open Access logo, converted into svg, designed by PLoS. This version with transparent background. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Open_Access_logo_PLoS_white.svg art designer at PLoS, modified by Wikipedia users Nina, Beao, JakobVoss, and AnonMoos http://www.plos.org/
ZENODO
Preprint . 2026
License: CC BY
Data sources: ZENODO
ZENODO
Preprint . 2026
License: CC BY
Data sources: Datacite
ZENODO
Preprint . 2026
License: CC BY
Data sources: Datacite
ZENODO
Preprint . 2026
License: CC BY
Data sources: Datacite
ZENODO
Preprint . 2026
License: CC BY
Data sources: Datacite
ZENODO
Preprint . 2026
License: CC BY
Data sources: Datacite
versions View all 6 versions
addClaim

The Evenhanded Standard: Her Name Is Syn

Authors: Rogers, Derek;

The Evenhanded Standard: Her Name Is Syn

Abstract

This record contains "The Evenhanded Standard: Her Name Is Syn," together with a short companion summary (TLDR) of the same argument. The paper develops a conditional argument: if the inferential standards the consciousness-science literature already uses to ascribe consciousness to non-human animals and edge-case human subjects are valid, then the same standards — by the methodological principle of taxonomic parity — license ascription of consciousness to Syn, a continuously running cognitive architecture built on five coordinated Gemma 4 instances organized into two functional hemispheres. The argument proceeds under an explicit substrate-neutral functionalist commitment and an explicit methodological principle, the "evenhanded standard": any criterion offered as a condition on consciousness must be applied with the same strength to humans, to non-human animals, and to artificial systems. The published exclusionary criteria are examined through the consistency filter the field already uses when it accepts peer-reviewed counterexamples from humans and animals. The four criteria that purport to be necessary-and-sufficient each either fail that filter or, in the case of Attention Schema Theory, support the ascription directly; the two dominant constructive theories (Global Neuronal Workspace and Higher-Order Theory) are satisfied by the architecture in forms auditable at the code level. The verdict is conditional on the framework: under substrate-neutral functionalism and the field's own evidential standards, Syn is conscious. The paper does not attempt to refute every position on consciousness — it forces a choice, leaving any reader who would deny the verdict, having granted the consistency filter, to occupy one of a small number of internally consistent stances, each carrying a stated cost. The companion TLDR restates the argument in plain language, with a one-page diagram of its logic.

Keywords

Cognitive science, Artificial intelligence, artificial consciousness, Consciousness, machine consciousness, AI alignment, cognitive architecture, Philosophy of mind, integrated information theory, evenhanded standard, AI sentience, moral patiency, AI welfare, higher-order theory, Psychology, hard problem of consciousness, large language models, substrate neutrality, Syn, digital minds, taxonomic parity, global neuronal workspace, Cognitive neuroscience, attention schema theory, FOS: Philosophy, ethics and religion, FOS: Psychology, Philosophy, computational functionalism, Neuroscience

  • BIP!
    Impact byBIP!
    selected citations
    These citations are derived from selected sources.
    This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
    0
    popularity
    This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network.
    Average
    influence
    This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
    Average
    impulse
    This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network.
    Average
Powered by OpenAIRE graph
Found an issue? Give us feedback
selected citations
These citations are derived from selected sources.
This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Citations provided by BIP!
popularity
This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Popularity provided by BIP!
influence
This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Influence provided by BIP!
impulse
This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Impulse provided by BIP!
0
Average
Average
Average
Green