Murray Shanahan
@mpshanahan.bsky.social
Professor at Imperial College London and Principal Scientist at Google DeepMind. Posting in a personal capacity. To send me a message please use email.
Very sad to learn of the death on 18th July of Margaret (Maggie) Boden, a titan of cognitive science and AI. I met her many times, and respected her greatly.
www.theargus.co.uk/memorials/de...
www.theargus.co.uk/memorials/de...
July 25, 2025 at 7:48 PM
Very sad to learn of the death on 18th July of Margaret (Maggie) Boden, a titan of cognitive science and AI. I met her many times, and respected her greatly.
www.theargus.co.uk/memorials/de...
www.theargus.co.uk/memorials/de...
"Is it possible to articulate a conception of consciousness that is compatible with the exotic characteristics of contemporary, disembodied AI systems, and that can stand up to philosophical scrutiny?" Updated version of this paper on
arXiv: arxiv.org/pdf/2503.16348
arXiv: arxiv.org/pdf/2503.16348
May 20, 2025 at 1:40 PM
"Is it possible to articulate a conception of consciousness that is compatible with the exotic characteristics of contemporary, disembodied AI systems, and that can stand up to philosophical scrutiny?" Updated version of this paper on
arXiv: arxiv.org/pdf/2503.16348
arXiv: arxiv.org/pdf/2503.16348
Another couple of excerpts from my latest paper: arxiv.org/abs/2503.16348
March 26, 2025 at 6:10 PM
Another couple of excerpts from my latest paper: arxiv.org/abs/2503.16348
An excerpt from my new paper
March 23, 2025 at 2:17 PM
An excerpt from my new paper
My latest paper is just out on arXiv: : "Palatable Conceptions of Disembodied Being: Terra Incognita in the Space of Possible Minds". 🧵1/n
March 21, 2025 at 5:17 PM
My latest paper is just out on arXiv: : "Palatable Conceptions of Disembodied Being: Terra Incognita in the Space of Possible Minds". 🧵1/n
before showing me the way out ... 4/5
January 25, 2025 at 4:40 PM
before showing me the way out ... 4/5
then took me to pieces 😃... 3/5
January 25, 2025 at 4:40 PM
then took me to pieces 😃... 3/5
and it turned the tables on me 😬 ... 2/5
January 25, 2025 at 4:40 PM
and it turned the tables on me 😬 ... 2/5
Ebedded in the centre of the flight computer on Blakes 7 is an Acorn System 1, which was the first computer I owned.
January 13, 2025 at 4:01 PM
Ebedded in the centre of the flight computer on Blakes 7 is an Acorn System 1, which was the first computer I owned.
I have put out a short clarificatory note on my paper "Talking About Large Language Models".
ArXiv link here: arxiv.org/abs/2412.10291
ArXiv link here: arxiv.org/abs/2412.10291
December 16, 2024 at 2:50 PM
I have put out a short clarificatory note on my paper "Talking About Large Language Models".
ArXiv link here: arxiv.org/abs/2412.10291
ArXiv link here: arxiv.org/abs/2412.10291
Finally, a dediction to the memory of Dan Dennett. 6/6
December 2, 2024 at 4:33 PM
Finally, a dediction to the memory of Dan Dennett. 6/6
Then there's this issue. 5/6
December 2, 2024 at 4:33 PM
Then there's this issue. 5/6
After summarising the Wittgenstein's critical approach to consciousness and his attack on dualism, we can get down to business. 4/6
December 2, 2024 at 4:33 PM
After summarising the Wittgenstein's critical approach to consciousness and his attack on dualism, we can get down to business. 4/6
The peer-reviewed version of my paper "Simulacra as Conscious Exotica" is out in the journal "Inquiry". 🧵 1/6
December 2, 2024 at 4:33 PM
The peer-reviewed version of my paper "Simulacra as Conscious Exotica" is out in the journal "Inquiry". 🧵 1/6
Also from the conclusion (with a nod to Wittgenstein's critique of Frazer's Golden Bough, via philosopher Mikel Burley):
November 21, 2024 at 3:02 PM
Also from the conclusion (with a nod to Wittgenstein's critique of Frazer's Golden Bough, via philosopher Mikel Burley):
This is from the conclusion:
November 21, 2024 at 3:02 PM
This is from the conclusion:
There are plenty of quotes from the conversations themselves, such as:
November 21, 2024 at 3:02 PM
There are plenty of quotes from the conversations themselves, such as: