AI: is it a person?
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can consider whether AI can be a person and how Searle's Chinese Room thought experiment can be applied to this question.
Key learning points
- Being a person means having awareness, understanding, feelings and moral judgement.
- AI can follow rules and give correct answers without truly understanding.
- Functionalism says having a mind depends on what something does, not what it is made of.
- If functionalism is true, AI could be said to have consciousness.
- Searle’s Chinese Room challenges functionalism, suggesting AI behaviour alone does not prove it has a mind.
Keywords
Artificial Intelligence (AI) - computer systems that perform tasks needing human-like intelligence
Chinese Room - Searle’s thought experiment about understanding
Person - a being with a mind capable of conscious experience, understanding, and meaningful action
Understanding - grasping meaning, not just following rules
Common misconception
Students may think that if an AI gives correct answers, it must understand what it is saying and therefore be a person.
Correct answers do not prove understanding. Searle argues AI follows rules and symbols without grasping meaning, unlike humans who understand concepts, intentions and consciousness.
Teacher tip
Pause after explaining the Chinese Room and check comprehension carefully. Students often confuse “acting intelligent” with “being conscious”, so slow the pace and rephrase using everyday examples.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Much communication today takes place .
Q2.Why do people often choose messaging over talking in person?
Q3.Who makes the argument that digital contact can feel like connection but remain shallow?
Q4.Pope Francis teaches that meaningful relationships require real .
Q5.In which document does Pope Francis say that digital relationships can be an illusion?
Q6.According to Pope Francis, the Good Samaritan shows the importance of real .
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match each keyword to its correct meaning:
Q2.Why might AI lack true understanding?
Q3.Functionalism says the mind is defined by what it .
Q4.What does Searle’s Chinese Room experiment show?
Q5.Dualists usually reject AI as persons because they say only can be persons.
Q6.What do physicalists believe about the mind?
To help you plan your 11 religious education lesson on: AI: is it a person?, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 11 religious education lesson on: AI: is it a person?, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 religious education lessons from the Personhood: what might be the people of the future? unit, dive into the full secondary religious education curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.