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What is it like to be a group agent?

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:
CreatorsEmailORCID
List, Christianc.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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