Mness

Mness is a term used in cognitive science, philosophy of mind, and artificial intelligence to describe the extent to which an entity exhibits properties typically associated with the mind. The concept is often used in discussions of machine intelligence, animal cognition, and theories of consciousness as a way to distinguish mental-like behavior from mere computation.

Derived from the suffix -ness attached to mind, mness is not a single property but a multidimensional spectrum. Proponents describe several interacting dimensions: phenomenality (the presence of subjective experience or its proxy), intentionality (aboutness of mental states), autonomy (self-directed goal pursuit), adaptability (flexible response to novel situations), and social embedment (integration into social and environmental context).

Because there is no agreed method to measure mness, assessment relies on multiple criteria, including behavioral performance, internal models of perception and goal states, and, where possible, first-person reports. In practice, researchers often use a combination of task-based tests, model-based evaluations, and external judgments of agency and intentionality. The lack of a universal standard means mness remains a theoretical construct rather than a confirmed property.

Applications of the concept appear in debates about AI rights and personhood, responsibility for autonomous agents, and the design of systems intended to simulate or evoke mental states. Critics warn that mness risks anthropomorphizing machines, obscuring genuine limitations while overstating true consciousness, and complicating policy with a fuzzy, ill-defined criterion.

See also consciousness, mind, artificial intelligence, agency.