Extrapolating Other Consciousnesses: The Prospects and Limits of Analogical Abduction

Attributing consciousness to nonstandard systems such as animals, neural organoids, and artificial intelligence requires a robust justificatory framework. This article argues that analogical abduction—a reasoning method that combines analogical and abductive elements—is the strongest approach for extrapolating consciousness from humans to these systems. The argument from analogy and inference to the best explanation, taken individually, fail to meet the criteria for successful extrapolations. Analogical abduction offers a promising alternative, though limitations in current consciousness science remain. The article clarifies the argumentative structure behind such attributions, which is important for evaluating their validity.

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Abstract

Abstract Advances in animal sentience research, neural organoids, and artificial intelligence reinforce the relevance of justifying attributions of consciousness to nonstandard systems. Clarifying the argumentative structure behind these attributions is important for evaluating their validity. This article addresses this issue, concluding that analogical abduction—a form of reasoning combining analogical and abductive elements—is the strongest method for extrapolating consciousness from humans to nonstandard systems. We argue that the argument from analogy and inference to the best explanation, individually taken, do not meet the criteria for successful extrapolations, whereas analogical abduction offers a promising approach despite limitations in current consciousness science.