Does the Alien have consciousness?

[Immortan Jonesy]

You think there is consciousness in the Alien

[Elmazalman]

The adult creature seen in ALIEN did show curiosity. It wasn't all blind (flawless) instinct.

[BigDaddyJohn]

I'd say yes.

[Immortan Jonesy]

The adult creature seen in ALIEN did show curiosity. It wasn't all blind (flawless) instinct.

Indeed!



However, it is not exclusive to sentient beings.



On the other hand I like a theory in wich the Queen from ALIENS built her hive in the colony's Atmosphere Processor, having inherited memory from the human host from which she was born, who probably worked there, and it makes me wonder if a part of a hypothetical consciousness may also be the human essence.

[Thatguy2068]

The adult creature seen in ALIEN did show curiosity. It wasn't all blind (flawless) instinct.

Indeed!

https://s10.gifyu.com/images/unnamed-12a2355c017354b89.gif

However, it is not exclusive to sentient beings.

https://i.ibb.co/DW1c0jf/20211223-124835.jpg

On the other hand I like a theory in wich the Queen from ALIENS built her hive in the colony's Atmosphere Processor, having inherited memory from the human host from which she was born, who probably worked there, and it makes me wonder if a part of a hypothetical consciousness may also be the human essence.

Let's also not forget in Alien Isolation when you distract the Xenomorph with a flare or noisemaker, when it gets close to the items, simply bend down and just stares at it with curiosity, like it did to Ripley Cat

[SiL]

However, it is not exclusive to sentient beings.

https://i.ibb.co/DW1c0jf/20211223-124835.jpg

All of the animals in that screenshot are considered sentient.

Aliens show sentience in their problem solving and decision making behaviours. They are clearly shown as being aware of internal and external experiences.

[Local Trouble]

Sentience has gotta be one of the most misused terms in the sci-fi community over the past 40 years.

https://grammarist.com/usage/sentience-vs-sapience/

[SiL]

Aliens show sapience in their problem solving and decision making behaviours. They are clearly shown as being aware of internal and external experiences.

Fixed that for you, dumbass.

Anything with a reasonable developed central nervous system is sentient. Exceptions include bacteria, sponges, some invertebrates.

[Immortan Jonesy]

Aliens show sapience in their problem solving and decision making behaviours. They are clearly shown as being aware of internal and external experiences.

Fixed that for you, dumbass.

Anything with a reasonable developed central nervous system is sentient. Exceptions include bacteria, sponges, some invertebrates.

Maybe I should rename the thread to 'How complex is the Alien's consciousness?' I don't know if there will be any source that documents what the Alien's brain is like in detail, so we could compare it with that of other animals with a complex nervous system, to figure out where's the network playing a role in Alien consciousness and how complex such thing is. In humans the most active seem to be the parietal, occipital and temporal regions. Of course I don't expect the Alien to be as complex as a human / Engineer, as we don't see them as part of a culture / civilization as in the original Dan O'Bannon's ideas, and I say this due to the way a being can express awareness which I imagine varies from species to species depending on their level of intelligence. I suppose that consciousness can be experienced and expressed in more complicated ways in sapiens beings; like looking at the stars and painting something that reflects the feeling of contemplating the universe or how small we are. But what about an octopus? 👇

▶If you want to know what aliens will be like, just look at an octopus

A good source that kinda defines what is consciousness.

▶What Is Consciousness?

[Local Trouble]

[Immortan Jonesy]

I'm going to watch that video hoping to come out with an existential crisis and a nihilistic perspective on things, but more important than all that ☝

Spoiler

[close]

[Local Trouble]

You should read his books.

[The Cruentus]

Alien definitely got some self awareness, given how they know how to use their wounds to inflict acid damage, how they can tell organics apart from machinary (excluding the dumbass aliens in covenant) How they self sacrifice to protect the queen and test threat defences. They can open doors i.e they know the difference between a pull/push door and one that slides apart.

[Immortan Jonesy]

I don't really like how they handled the Alien in Covenant, but by Gosh! tell me that this isn't such a self-awareness moment! 

[The Cruentus]

They do have observant learning skills and can clearly fear for their lives or at least respect a threat to it, granted the latter was when the alien in question was a mutant that got hit with the freeze spray.