Do thermometers have beliefs?

I know I shouldn't scream "but consciousness doesn't work that way" at Star Trek: Discovery. Partly because consciousness is a wibbly word that people often use to refer to different things, partly because it doesn't matter, and partly because Star Trek: Discovery is an increasingly silly show that likes to squint at interesting philosophical dilemmas before cartwheeling away while blowing raspberries. Fine. Whatever. But I still want to talk about the c-word.

Spoilers up to and including Season 2 episode 9 are ahead.