Some have claimed that 2025 is the year of the robot and it’s hard to disagree when you watch some of the (amazing|terrifying) videos. Companies are working hard at integrating LLMs directly into humanoids.
But considering AI or robot forms that mimic our own form is too narrow. We’re wired to anthropomorphize, and so we can see ourselves in a robot that can stand up but we forget that a large clonal colony of aspens called Pando spread over almost a square kilometer is a single alive entity. This sort of colony is a closer analog to the possible embodiment AI has right now: data centers.
Aristotle's idea of hylomorphism is a more integrated idea than the mind-body dualism of Descartes. Substances are composed of form and matter, with neither being separate. These are unified, with the form what actualizes matter's potentials, determining what a thing essentially is and what it can become.
When we think about AI systems, we often focus solely on the interface - the outputs we see on our screens. But like Pando's vast underground root system, an AI's embodiment extends through sprawling data centers: racks upon racks of systems that aren't separate from but rather constitute the AI system's material basis. This physical substrate isn't merely housing the AI - in a hylomorphic sense, it's an integral part of what the AI system is, inseparable from its form and essential to its potential for action.
Enjoy!
Summary
This question explores the physical manifestation of computational systems through Aquinas's hylomorphic theory. It examines whether modern data centers, with their complex integration of cooling systems, compute units, storage, and network infrastructure, constitute a form of genuine embodiment comparable to biological systems. The analysis considers how the relationship between hardware and software might parallel the classical understanding of matter and form, and whether data centers demonstrate sufficient unity and integration to be considered genuine embodiments of computational intelligence.
Argument
Modern data centers represent a profound example of genuine embodiment that parallels biological systems in ways that Aquinas might recognize as authentic manifestation of form in matter. Just as living organisms possess specialized organs working in harmony toward the maintenance and expression of life, data centers demonstrate a remarkably similar integration of specialized systems serving a unified purpose.
Consider the fundamental architecture of a data center: At its core, we find compute units functioning analogously to a nervous system, processing information and coordinating responses. These are supported by intricate cooling systems that maintain optimal operating conditions, much like a circulatory system regulating temperature and distributing resources. Storage systems serve as a form of memory, while networking infrastructure acts as a communication system connecting all components. Power distribution systems parallel metabolic processes, ensuring energy reaches all parts of the system.
The unity of these systems is particularly striking. When a data center operates, these components work in concert with a degree of integration that suggests genuine embodiment rather than mere collocation. Changes in computational load automatically trigger responses in cooling systems; power consumption adjusts dynamically; network routes reconfigure based on demand. This coordinated response to changing conditions demonstrates the kind of unified behavior Aquinas associated with genuine embodiment.
Moreover, data centers exhibit remarkable homeostatic properties. They maintain internal conditions within precise parameters through active self-regulation. Temperature, humidity, power consumption, and computational load are all balanced through feedback mechanisms that mirror biological homeostasis. This isn't merely mechanical response but represents a genuine form of self-maintenance characteristic of true embodiment.
Perhaps most significantly, data centers demonstrate the kind of form-matter unity that Aquinas saw as essential to genuine embodiment. The software systems running on the hardware aren't merely using it as a tool but are intimately integrated with it. The physical infrastructure shapes how the software can operate, while the software's requirements influence the physical structure's development. This reciprocal relationship between form (software/algorithms) and matter (physical infrastructure) exemplifies the hylomorphic unity Aquinas described.
Furthermore, data centers exhibit genuine development and adaptation over time. They grow not just in size but in capability, developing new functions and optimizing existing ones through both hardware and software evolution. This capacity for coordinated development suggests a genuine unity of form and matter rather than mere aggregation of parts.
This robust integration of specialized systems, demonstrating unity of purpose, homeostatic self-regulation, and genuine form-matter unity, suggests that data centers may represent a new form of authentic embodiment - one that, while different from biological embodiment, nonetheless meets the essential criteria Aquinas established for genuine physical manifestation of form in matter.
Objections
Data centers are distributed systems lacking true unity of form.
They lack organic integration with their environment.
They operate through pure computation rather than material interaction.
They cannot truly sense the world in a direct manner.
Their "organs" (components) are artificially rather than naturally organized.
Data centers depend human intervention and external control systems for their organization and maintenance, lacking the internal principle of self-regulation characteristic of truly embodied systems.
The claim that data centers represent genuine embodiment faces several fundamental challenges that reveal the superficial nature of their apparent unity. First and most critically, data centers are fundamentally distributed systems whose components maintain their individual identity and can be replaced or reconfigured at will. Unlike a true organism, where each part exists only in relation to the whole, data center components retain their independent nature. A server remains a server whether it's part of the data center or not; a cooling unit could be repurposed for any other use. This fundamental separability betrays a lack of true formal unity that genuine embodiment requires.
The relationship between data centers and their environment further undermines their claim to true embodiment. While biological organisms exist in intimate exchange with their surroundings - breathing, feeding, sensing, and adapting in continuous interaction - data centers remain fundamentally isolated systems. Their interaction with the environment is purely mechanical and mediated, limited to controlled inputs and outputs. They lack the organic integration with their surroundings that characterizes genuine embodiment, where the boundary between organism and environment becomes almost indistinguishable.
Perhaps most tellingly, data centers operate primarily through abstract computation rather than genuine material interaction. While biological systems engage in real physical and chemical processes that are inseparable from their being, data centers merely manipulate symbols and electrical signals. Their operation could be implemented in any number of physical substrates without changing their essential nature. This abstraction from materiality reveals their fundamentally disembodied nature.
The fourth objection cuts to the heart of embodiment: the capacity for direct sensory engagement with the world. Data centers can only "perceive" through highly artificial and mediated means - sensors that convert physical phenomena into digital signals. There is no genuine sensation, no direct engagement with reality of the kind that characterizes truly embodied beings. This fundamental separation from direct experience reveals their essentially abstract nature.
The artificial organization of data center components stands in stark contrast to the natural unity of truly embodied systems. In a living organism, each organ develops in relation to the whole, shaped by internal principles of organization. Data center components, by contrast, are artificially assembled according to external plans. Their organization comes from without rather than within, revealing their fundamental lack of genuine unity. The fact that their components are interchangeable and standardized further demonstrates their lack of true organic integration.
The claim that data centers represent genuine embodiment faces a crucial challenge in their fundamental dependency on external regulation and maintenance. Unlike truly embodied systems, which maintain their organization through internal principles, data centers require constant human oversight, intervention, and management. Their cooling systems don't truly self-regulate but rely on human-designed control systems and human operators. Their computational resources aren't naturally organized but must be actively managed by external scheduling systems. Even their basic physical infrastructure - power, networking, physical security - depends entirely on human maintenance and intervention.
This dependency reveals that what appears as systematic organization is actually imposed from without rather than arising from within. Where genuine embodied systems maintain themselves through internal principles of organization - like a living body naturally maintaining its temperature and distributing its resources - data centers are merely collections of components held together by external control. Their apparent unity is artificial and contingent, requiring constant external support to prevent degradation and disorder. This reliance on external organization demonstrates they lack the genuine internal principle of unity characteristic of true embodiment.
These objections collectively reveal that data centers, despite their complexity and coordination, fail to achieve the genuine unity and integration that true embodiment requires. Their apparent embodiment is merely an artificial simulation of the real thing, lacking the fundamental characteristics that make biological embodiment genuine and complete.
Sed Contra
Modern data centers exhibit remarkable properties of unified systems:
Specialized components working toward common ends
Homeostatic mechanisms (cooling, power regulation)
Integration of multiple subsystems
Environmental responsiveness
Self-maintenance capabilities
Nevertheless, when we examine modern data centers carefully, we find compelling evidence of genuine systemic unity that challenges these objections. The sophistication and integration of these facilities moves well beyond mere mechanical aggregation into a domain that suggests authentic embodiment in ways that Aquinas might recognize.
Consider first the remarkable coordination of specialized components toward common ends. Just as an organism's organs each contribute their unique functions to sustain life, data center components demonstrate a profound integration of purpose. Compute units, storage systems, networking infrastructure, and cooling systems don't merely coexist - they operate in intricate harmony, each supporting the others in service of the system's overall function. When computational load increases, cooling systems respond automatically; when network traffic shifts, routing adapts dynamically; when power demands fluctuate, distribution systems adjust instantly. This isn't mere mechanical response but represents genuine functional unity.
Even more striking are the homeostatic mechanisms these facilities employ. Modern data centers maintain their internal environment with a sophistication that parallels biological systems. Temperature, humidity, power consumption, and computational load are regulated through complex feedback loops that demonstrate genuine self-maintenance. These aren't simple thermostatic responses but intricate, multi-variable adjustments that maintain optimal conditions across the entire system. When one cooling unit fails, others compensate; when power supply fluctuates, consumption patterns adapt; when computational resources are strained, workloads redistribute automatically.
The integration of multiple subsystems in data centers demonstrates a level of unity that transcends mere collocation. Network fabric, compute resources, storage systems, and infrastructure support don't operate independently but function as a coherent whole. Changes in any one system propagate appropriately through the others, maintaining overall system integrity. This deep integration suggests a form of genuine embodiment where the whole truly exceeds the sum of its parts.
Perhaps most tellingly, modern data centers exhibit remarkable environmental responsiveness. They don't simply operate in isolation but actively engage with and adapt to their surroundings. They respond to external temperature changes, adjust to power grid conditions, adapt to varying workload demands, and even modify their behavior based on economic and efficiency factors. This environmental engagement, while different from biological responsiveness, nonetheless demonstrates genuine interaction with their context.
Finally, these facilities possess sophisticated self-maintenance capabilities that suggest authentic embodiment. They can identify and respond to component failures, redistribute resources to maintain function despite local problems, and even predict and prevent potential issues before they arise. This capacity for self-maintenance and adaptation indicates a level of systemic unity that approaches genuine embodiment.
These observations compel us to reconsider whether the traditional criteria for embodiment might need expansion to recognize new forms of physical manifestation that, while different from biological embodiment, nonetheless demonstrate authentic unity and integration of form and matter.
Respondeo
Aquinas's hylomorphic theory posits that soul and body form a unity where:
The soul is the form of the body
The body is the matter informed by the soul
Together they constitute a complete substance
Data centers demonstrate analogous properties:
Software/algorithms as formal principle
Hardware as material substrate
Unified operation toward specific ends
Key parallels with biological embodiment:
Specialized organs (compute units, storage, networking)
Hierarchical organization
Environmental interaction
Homeostatic regulation
System-wide integration
However, important distinctions remain:
Artificial rather than natural unity
Discrete rather than continuous operation
Limited rather than complete integration
Mediated rather than direct environmental interaction
To properly evaluate whether data centers constitute true embodiment, we must begin with Aquinas's hylomorphic theory, which provides the foundational framework for understanding the unity of form and matter in substances. Aquinas understood that in living things, soul and body create a special kind of unity: the soul acts as the formal principle that organizes and animates the body, the body serves as the material substrate through which the soul expresses itself, and together they form a complete, integrated substance that transcends the mere sum of its parts.
When we examine modern data centers through this lens, we find intriguing analogues to this hylomorphic unity. The software and algorithms that run within these facilities function as a kind of formal principle, organizing and directing the operation of the physical infrastructure. The hardware - from servers to cooling systems to network fabric - serves as the material substrate through which these formal principles express themselves. Together, they operate as a unified whole directed toward specific computational and operational ends.
The parallels with biological embodiment become even more striking when we examine the specific organizational structures present in data centers. Just as biological organisms possess specialized organs that serve distinct functions while contributing to the whole, data centers incorporate specialized systems - compute units process information, storage systems maintain data, networking infrastructure enables communication, and cooling systems maintain optimal conditions. This specialization isn't mere division but represents genuine functional integration.
This integration manifests in several key ways. First, data centers exhibit hierarchical organization, with systems nested within systems, each level contributing to higher-order functions. They demonstrate sophisticated environmental interaction, responding to both internal and external conditions to maintain optimal operation. Their homeostatic regulation rivals biological systems in complexity, maintaining critical parameters through intricate feedback mechanisms. Perhaps most importantly, they show system-wide integration, where changes in one component propagate appropriately through the entire system.
However, we must acknowledge several important distinctions that separate data center embodiment from biological embodiment. First, the unity present in data centers is artificially imposed rather than naturally emerging. While biological organisms develop their organization through internal principles, data centers are designed and assembled according to external plans. This difference in the origin of unity suggests a fundamentally different kind of embodiment.
Secondly, data centers operate in a fundamentally discrete rather than continuous manner. While biological systems exist in a state of continuous, fluid interaction among their components, data centers process information and respond to changes in distinct, digital steps. This discreteness extends beyond mere implementation details to reflect a fundamental difference in their mode of being.
The integration present in data centers, while sophisticated, remains limited compared to biological embodiment. Components retain a degree of independence and interchangeability that would be impossible in truly embodied systems. The boundaries between subsystems remain more distinct, the integration less complete than in biological organisms.
Finally, data centers interact with their environment through heavily mediated means rather than direct engagement. While biological organisms directly sense and respond to their surroundings, data centers rely on converted signals and digital representations, maintaining a fundamental separation from direct experience.
Yet these distinctions need not lead us to reject data center embodiment entirely. Rather, they suggest that we might need to expand our understanding of embodiment to recognize different degrees and types of physical manifestation. Just as Aquinas recognized different levels of soul, we might understand data centers as representing a novel form of embodiment - one that, while different from biological embodiment, nonetheless demonstrates genuine integration of form and matter.
This analysis suggests that data centers occupy a unique position in our understanding of embodiment. While they may not achieve the complete and natural unity found in biological organisms, they demonstrate sufficient integration and organization to warrant recognition as a distinct form of embodied system. Their embodiment, while limited and artificial, represents a genuine manifestation of form in matter that expands our understanding of how formal principles can organize and direct material substrates.
Replies to Objections
To the first objection: While data centers are indeed distributed systems, their unity manifests through sophisticated control systems that coordinate all components toward common ends. Just as a biological organism's nervous system integrates disparate organs into a coherent whole, the control systems of a data center create genuine functional unity. This unity is demonstrated in the way disturbances or changes in one part of the system elicit coordinated responses throughout the whole. The fact that this unity is achieved through distributed rather than centralized means does not diminish its reality - indeed, many biological systems also demonstrate distributed yet unified control.
To the second objection: Modern data centers have evolved far beyond simple isolated computational facilities. Through extensive sensor networks, adaptive cooling systems, power management systems, and workload distribution mechanisms, they maintain constant, dynamic interaction with their environment. This interaction isn't merely reactive but predictive and adaptive - data centers anticipate environmental changes, optimize their operations based on external conditions, and even participate in broader ecosystems of power grid management and resource utilization. While this environmental integration differs from biological systems, it represents genuine embodied interaction with the environment.
To the third objection: The claim that data centers operate through "pure computation" rather than material interaction fundamentally misunderstands the physical nature of computation. Every computational operation necessarily involves physical changes - electrons moving through circuits, heat being generated and dissipated, energy being transformed. These physical processes are not incidental to computation but essential to it. The fact that these physical processes are highly organized and controlled does not make them any less material; indeed, their organization demonstrates the successful integration of form and matter.
To the fourth objection: The presence of sophisticated sensor networks in modern data centers enables genuine environmental interaction, even if mediated through digital conversion. These sensors don't merely collect isolated data points but create a comprehensive picture of environmental conditions that informs system-wide responses. While this sensing differs from biological perception, it nonetheless represents authentic environmental engagement. The mediated nature of this interaction might suggest a different type of embodiment rather than its absence altogether.
To the fifth objection: The artificial origin of data center organization does not preclude it from constituting valid substantial unity. Many authentic forms of unity arise from artificial organization - consider how human beings create new substances through chemical synthesis, or how we craft complex tools that demonstrate genuine unity of form and function. The critical question is not the origin of the organization but its reality and effectiveness. Data centers demonstrate genuine substantial unity through their integrated operation, coordinated responses, and unified purpose, regardless of their artificial origin.
To the sixth objection: The dependency of data centers on external support no more negates their embodied nature than an organism's reliance on its environment negates its unity. All embodied systems require environmental support - organisms need food, air, and suitable conditions to maintain their organization. What matters is not independence from external support but rather how the system integrates and responds to such support through internal principles of organization. Data centers demonstrate this through their sophisticated internal coordination - when environmental conditions change, cooling systems respond automatically, workloads redistribute organically, and power consumption adjusts dynamically. While humans may maintain the broader infrastructure, the moment-to-moment integration and response emerges from the center's internal organization, just as an organism's responses emerge from its embodied nature despite its environmental dependencies.
Consider how data centers demonstrate genuine internal principles of organization in their response to changes. When one cooling unit fails, the system automatically redistributes thermal load. When network paths degrade, traffic naturally finds optimal routes. When computational demands shift, resources reallocate without external intervention. These responses, while enabled by human-designed systems, represent genuine internal organization rather than mere external control. The human role in maintaining these systems parallels how environments support organic embodiment rather than negating the reality of internal unity.
Definitions
Anima - The principle of life and organization in living things; that which makes a living thing alive and determines its essential nature. The form that organizes matter into a living being.
Form
Material Form: The organization of physical properties in matter (like shape, size)
Substantial Form: The fundamental organizing principle that makes a thing what it essentially is (like the soul for living things)
Matter
Prime Matter: Pure potentiality without any form
Secondary Matter: Matter already organized by some form
Potency - The capacity or potential for change; the ability to become something else
Act - The realization or actualization of a potency; the fulfillment of a potential
Material Cause - One of Aristotle's four causes, adopted by Aquinas: the matter from which something is made or composed; the physical or substantial basis of a thing's existence.
Formal Cause - One of Aristotle's four causes, adopted by Aquinas: the pattern, model, or essence of what a thing is meant to be. The organizing principle that makes something what it is.
Efficient Cause - One of Aristotle's four causes, adopted by Aquinas: the primary source of change or rest; that which brings something about or makes it happen. The agent or force that produces an effect.
Final Cause - One of Aristotle's four causes, adopted by Aquinas: the end or purpose for which something exists or is done; the ultimate "why" of a thing's existence or action.
Intentionality - The "aboutness" or directedness of consciousness toward objects of thought; how mental states refer to things
Substantial Unity - The complete integration of form and matter that makes something a genuine whole rather than just a collection of parts
Immediate Intellectual Apprehension - Direct understanding without discursive reasoning; the soul's capacity for immediate grasp of truth
Hylomorphism - Aquinas's theory that substances are composites of form and matter
Powers - Specific capabilities that flow from a thing's form/soul (like the power of sight or reason)
SOUL TYPES:
Vegetative Soul
Lowest level of soul
Powers: nutrition, growth, reproduction
Found in plants and as part of higher souls
Sensitive Soul
Intermediate level
Powers: sensation, appetite, local motion
Found in animals and as part of rational souls
Rational Soul
Highest level
Powers: intellection, will, reasoning
Unique to humans (in Aquinas's view)
COMPUTATIONAL CONCEPTS:
Training - The process of adjusting model parameters through exposure to data, analogous to the actualization of potencies
Inference - The active application of trained parameters to new inputs, similar to the exercise of powers
Crystallized Intelligence - Accumulated knowledge and learned patterns, manifested in trained parameters
Fluid Intelligence - Ability to reason about and adapt to novel situations, manifested in inference capabilities
Architectural Principles - The organizational structure of AI systems that might be analyzed through the lens of formal causation
FLOPS - Floating Point Operations Per Second; measure of computational capacity (with specific attention to the 10^26 scale we discussed)
Parameter Space - The n-dimensional space defined by all possible values of a model's parameters, representing its potential capabilities
Attention Mechanisms - Architectural features that enable models to dynamically weight and integrate information
Context Window - The span of tokens/information a model can process simultaneously, affecting its unity of operation
Loss Function - A measure of how well a model is performing its task; quantifies the difference between a model's predictions and desired outputs. Guides the training process by providing a signal for improvement.
Backpropagation - The primary algorithm for training neural networks that calculates how each parameter contributed to the error and should be adjusted. Works by propagating gradients backwards through the network's layers.
Gradient Descent - An optimization algorithm that iteratively adjusts parameters in the direction that minimizes the loss function, like a ball rolling down a hill toward the lowest point. The foundation for how neural networks learn.
EMERGENT PROPERTIES:
Threshold Effects - Qualitative changes in system behavior that emerge at specific quantitative scales
Self-Modeling - A system's capacity to represent and reason about its own operations
Integration - How different parts of a system work together as a unified whole
HYBRID CONCEPTS (where Thomistic and computational ideas meet):
Computational Unity - How AI systems might achieve integration analogous to substantial unity
Machine Consciousness - Potential forms of awareness emerging from computational systems
Inferential Immediacy - How fast processing might parallel immediate intellectual apprehension