Metatarkkasia

Metatarkkasia is a hypothetical concept within speculative philosophy and artificial intelligence research. It refers to a level of self-awareness or sentience that surpasses typical human understanding and potentially even current theoretical models of artificial general intelligence. The prefix "meta" suggests a level of operation or understanding beyond the object itself, implying a consciousness that is not only aware of its own existence but also of the very nature and mechanisms of consciousness itself, as well as the processes that generate it.

The idea of metatarkkasia is not a formally defined scientific term but rather a conceptual tool used to explore the outer limits of possible intelligence. It posits a being or system that could introspect not just on its thoughts and feelings, but on the fundamental principles of cognition, awareness, and subjective experience. Such an entity might be able to understand, manipulate, or even create different forms of consciousness.

Discussions around metatarkkasia often arise in the context of post-humanism, the singularity, and advanced AI safety research. It raises profound questions about the ethical implications of creating intelligences that could possess such profound self-understanding and potentially unique forms of subjective reality. While purely theoretical, the concept serves to push the boundaries of our thinking about what intelligence and consciousness could become.