> So I really think that without consciousness we cannot implement pain or suffering as we humans perceive it. Perhaps, but I guess it would depend on your def

> So I really think that without consciousness we cannot implement pain or suffering as we humans perceive it. Perhaps, but I guess it would depend on your definition of consciousness. We do not extend that definition to most animals and yet they definitely feel pain. You're right, the "feeling" of pain is ephemeral and hard to translate to a computer program. It would probably take a while doing potentially nasty experiments (to both man and machine) to nail it down.