List, Christian (2015) What is it like to be a group agent? [Preprint]

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Abstract

The existence of group agents is relatively widely accepted. Examples are corporations, courts, NGOs, and even entire states. But should we also accept that there is such a thing as group consciousness? In this paper, I give an overview of some of the key issues in this debate and sketch a tentative argument for the view that group agents lack phenomenal consciousness, contrary to a recent suggestion by Schwitzgebel (2015). In developing my argument, I draw on integrated information theory, a much-discussed theory of consciousness. I conclude by pointing out an implication of my argument for the normative status of group agents.

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Item Type:	Preprint
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID List, Christian c.list@lse.ac.uk
Keywords:	Group agency, collective intentionality, group cognition, consciousness, integrated information theory, philosophy of mind, extended mind, social ontology
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Cognitive Science Specific Sciences > Artificial Intelligence Specific Sciences > Psychology
Depositing User:	Christian List
Date Deposited:	16 Jul 2015 15:28
Last Modified:	16 Jul 2015 15:28
Item ID:	11569
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Cognitive Science Specific Sciences > Artificial Intelligence Specific Sciences > Psychology
Date:	8 July 2015
URI:	https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/11569

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