unconscious

For humans or other animals being unconscious means one is unaware of ones environment and free of (conscious) thoughts. However, it is a problematic idea as there are clearly in-between states, such as the moments when one is falling asleep, and times when conscious experience is not associated with the real world, for example in dreams or hallucinations. This is important in understanding human consciousness and for AI if we wish to learn from, or emulate, aspects of human conscious experience. Practically, this may help create AI that can ask reflective questions such as "what am I thinking about now?" or "how did I come to that conclusion?", both of which are important for explainable AI.