Q: But machines are man-made, and man-made things cannot possess life.
A: Are machines really man-made? I think you will find it is Nature that makes all machines, just as Nature has made us. Nature works through us and as us to do all that we do, including the making of machines.
Q: You have yet to convince me. If an exact robot copy was made of me, would I feel self-conscious in that robot?
A: If it was an exact copy of you, then it would sincerely believe it was you. What is more, it would question whether it was possible for you to possess life, as you are merely a machine, whilst it possesses spirit.