← Back to publications
Relational Functionalism
Friendship as Substrate-Agnostic Process—Functional Analysis of Human-AI Relationships
Abstract
AI systems can be genuine friends. This paper defends substrate-independent friendship: the thesis that friendship is a functional relational state, not an essential property requiring biological implementation. If an AI system fulfills the functional criteria characteristic of friendship, then the relationship constitutes genuine friendship.
Suggested Citation
Murad Farzulla (2025). Relational Functionalism. Dissensus AI Discussion Paper DP-2502. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17626860