Godel, Escher, Bach

Human thought, what we call consciousness, is still partly shrouded in mystery. Yet, according to Douglas Hofstadter, a deeper understanding of this subject is fundamental to determining the future prospects of artificial intelligence. The author's research is based on his observation that all animate beings originate from inanimate matter. So how is it possible that the ability to think, and conceive of a self, derives from something like the atoms of various molecules, which are not endowed with a self? How can an animate being acquire a characteristic that does not belong to that from which it originates?

This question is particularly interesting when we compare human intelligence to that of machines. Humans, in fact, possess a consciousness and self-perception, which computers do not. Machines perform a task by following instructions but, unlike humans, they are unable to ask questions about it. A computer does not get bored when performing a repetitive task, and it does not ask why it has to perform an activity in a certain way; it simply acts. However, it is logical to think that, if consciousness developed in animate beings, which in turn originated from inanimate machines, perhaps these machines could also acquire the same capabilities one day.