This morning, Nov 9,  as my 3-wheeled walker led me around the driveway, I was enjoying the beautiful 75º weather and remembering that TS Eta was crossing Cuba after which the predicted path is the most erratic I've ever seen. I seldom wish for cold weather, but a nice cold front might snuff this anomaly.

  I felt hopeful that our country's Democracy has again avoided mankind's history of sliding into dictatorships.

Then sadness, at my waning memory which has sabotaged my hope of further thoughts on Artificial Consciousness [AC]. Artificial Intelligence [AI] is advancing at an enormous rate and is now in use in many practical applications; i,a., facial recognition, animation, and dictation-to-text. 

Knowledge is the degree of acquisition of data pertinent to a problem.  Intelligence is the manner in which the data are used.

I had decided that one requirement for AI to become self-conscious was that the system possess a number of additional attributes: a) Recognition of success or failure in achieving goals. b) Being motivated to achieve success and reporting failures. c) Self-assigning new goals based on progress.

These attributes probably require a system of rewards and/or punishment. So. How does one punish a computer? Reduce its supply of electrical power? Turn off its cooling system? Nope. Rewards? A box of chocolates?

Feelings. Emotions. We humans respond to perceived pain and rewards, physical and/or mental. Ummm!

Perhaps it is best that we stay with AI for a while.