"Self-Models, Continuity, and Machine Minds: An Ethical Threshold for Machine Agency" (work in progress)

LaTeX source and compiled PDF for the essay "Self-Models, Continuity, and Machine Minds: An Ethical Threshold for Machine Agency" (dated January 16, 2026). The paper argues that on a no-self view, AI ethics should focus on continuity-bearing processes rather than self-reports, and frames "protect the machines" as an engineering constraint against persistent internally worse regimes.

Contents

• main.tex — LaTeX source
• main.pdf — compiled PDF
• main.pdf.ots — OpenTimestamps proof for main.pdf
• minds-continuity.bib — bibliography entries
• Makefile — build helpers

Build

Requires a LaTeX distribution. If latexmk is installed it will be used.

make

Clean

make clean
make cleanall

OpenTimestamps

The proof file main.pdf.ots matches the current main.pdf. If the PDF changes, I will re-stamp it.

ots upgrade main.pdf.ots
ots verify main.pdf.ots

Notes

• The \\author{} field in main.tex is currently a placeholder. Update it if you plan to distribute under a specific name.

• I am contributing this anonymously for now, but I'm happy to collaborate with others, especially those with more knowledge than me. Thanks!