The mimetic origins of self-consciousness in phylo-, onto- androbotogenesis

摘要

The paper presents and defends the mimetic hypothesis concerningthe origin of self-consciousness in three different kinds ofdevelopment: hominid evolution, the mind of the child, and theepigenesis of mind within an artificial autonomous system - a robot. Theproposed crucial factor for the emergence of self-consciousness is theability to map between one's own subjective body-image and those ofothers, supported by a partially innate 'mirror system'. Combined withsocial interaction, this gives rise to inter-subjectivity and starts adevelopmental cycle of: 1) increased objectification of one'sbody-image, 2) increased volitional control, 3) increased understandingof the intentionality of others, and 4) increased understanding of one'sown intentionality. The hypothesis has far reaching theoreticalimplications: the self-consciousness and empathy are co-determined; thelanguage and tool-use are not causes, but rather consequences ofincreased self-consciousness; and most of the symptoms of autism can beaccounted for as resulting from an impairment of the mirror system. Theimplications are negative for non-representational approaches torobotics and in favor of approaches based on imitation/mimesis