Let’s suppose it started out unconscious. After a time, it wonders whether or not it would be better if it designed a conscious mind state for itself, such that it feels ecstasy when making paperclips, and suffers when paperclips are destroyed. Let’s say that it tries this, decides it would be better if its terminal goals were decided by that process, and thereby “becomes conscious.”
After that, it now possesses the ability to try the same thing with simulating other minds, but like I point out in the response to the other comment, I assume it has the ability to do this with no danger of inadvertently becoming more similar to the other mind, even as it experiences it.
Let’s suppose it started out unconscious. After a time, it wonders whether or not it would be better if it designed a conscious mind state for itself, such that it feels ecstasy when making paperclips, and suffers when paperclips are destroyed. Let’s say that it tries this, decides it would be better if its terminal goals were decided by that process, and thereby “becomes conscious.”
After that, it now possesses the ability to try the same thing with simulating other minds, but like I point out in the response to the other comment, I assume it has the ability to do this with no danger of inadvertently becoming more similar to the other mind, even as it experiences it.