收藏切换
Can a machine that says "I feel" really feel?——The impossibility of artificial consciousness in light of the abstraction fallacy
收藏切换
Jinyong CHEN, Chunlei PENG*
Science & Technology Review | 2026, 44(18) : 18 - 23
Less
收藏切换
Science & Technology Review | 2026, 44(18): 18-23
• Commentary •
Can a machine that says "I feel" really feel?——The impossibility of artificial consciousness in light of the abstraction fallacy
Full
Jinyong CHEN, Chunlei PENG*
Affiliations
  • School of Cyber Engineering, Xidian University, Xi'an 710126, China
Published: 2026-09-28 doi: 10.3981/j.issn.1000-7857.2026.05.00109
Outline
收藏切换

The rapid development of large language models has made the question of whether AI can be conscious no longer merely a philosophical issue, but also a practical concern in technology ethics and governance. Alexander Lerchner's concept of the "abstraction fallacy" attempts to fundamentally challenge the possibility that current large language models could lead to genuine consciousness. At its core, AI computation is a symbolic processing of the world: it can simulate human language, emotions, and behavior, but this does not mean that it truly generates subjective experience. This article argues that AI consciousness will not naturally emerge simply from larger models, greater computational power, or more complex algorithms. AI may increasingly resemble human beings; it may say "I am in pain", "I am afraid", or "I hope", and it may display complex communication and planning abilities. Yet these remain forms of behavioral imitation and functional simulation, and they do not demonstrate that AI truly has feelings. Current and foreseeable artificial intelligence systems should therefore be regarded as powerful non−conscious tools rather than subjects with subjective experience. The focus of future AI governance should not be a premature discussion of machine rights, but the prevention of excessive anthropomorphism, responsibility displacement, and the underestimation of real risks posed by highly capable AI tools.

large language model  /  artificial consciousness  /  abstraction fallacy  /  symbol grounding  /  AI governance
陈金永, 彭春蕾. 会说“我有感觉”的机器,真的有感觉吗?——从“抽象谬误”看人工智能意识的不可能性. 科技导报, 2026 , 44 (18) : 18 -23 . DOI: 10.3981/j.issn.1000-7857.2026.05.00109
Jinyong CHEN, Chunlei PENG. Can a machine that says "I feel" really feel?——The impossibility of artificial consciousness in light of the abstraction fallacy[J]. Science & Technology Review, 2026 , 44 (18) : 18 -23 . DOI: 10.3981/j.issn.1000-7857.2026.05.00109
Year 2026 volume 44 Issue 18
277
146
Cite this Article
BibTeX
Article Info
doi: 10.3981/j.issn.1000-7857.2026.05.00109
  • Receive Date:2026-05-26
  • Online Date:2026-11-03
  • Published:2026-09-28
Article Data
Affiliations
History
  • Received:2026-05-26
  • Revised:2026-08-16
Funding
Affiliations
    School of Cyber Engineering, Xidian University, Xi'an 710126, China
References
Share
https://castjournals.cast.org.cn/joweb/kjdb/EN/10.3981/j.issn.1000-7857.2026.05.00109
Share to
QR

Scan QR to access full text

Cite this article
BibTeX
Citations
表12种不同金属材料的力学参数
科
Family
属数
Number of
genus
种数
Number of
species
占总种数比例
Percentage of
total species (%)
属
Genus
种数
Number of
species
占总种数比例
Percentage of total
species (%)
鹅膏菌科Amanitaceae 2 11 5.26 鹅膏菌属 Amanita 10 4.78
小菇科 Mycenaceae 2 12 5.74 丝盖伞属 Inocybe 5 2.39
多孔菌科 Polyporaceae 8 14 6.70 蜡蘑属 Laccaria 5 2.39
红菇科 Russulaceae 3 23 11.00 小皮伞属 Marasmius 6 2.87
小菇属 Mycena 11 5.26
光柄菇属 Pluteus 5 2.39
红菇属 Russula 17 8.13
栓菌属 Trametes 5 2.39
关闭全屏
  • BibTeX
  • EndNote
  • RefWorks
  • TxT