Towards a Science of Consciousness

We have a big issue in today's physics that is unfortunately not widely acknowledged at the moment. On the one hand, our most advanced physics only works if we apply it locally, owing this to relativistic principles (with perhaps some notable exceptions such as quantum entanglement). On the other hand, if we consider our conscious experiences as a part of nature and governed by the same physical laws, then we can't explain their non-local aspect, motivated by the unity and integration of information embedded in our global neural network processes. As a response, the present book proposes the reconsideration of any and all physical systems as "unified wholes", described by single sets of physical variables called "system states" and whose evolutions are governed by physical models at various scales (in the quantum domain, macroscopic domain, solar system, etc...). This starting point assumes the existence of a non-local physics of systems at any scale and argues for the necessity to uncover and investigate it. A big breakthrough is waiting to happen.

The book postulates further that the evolution of any system possesses an interiority (a remarkable idea that is in essence a dual aspect monist philosophy), and that the integration (binding) and delimitation (boundary) of this interiority is linked to the description of the system's evolution in its relativistic proper time, and to the causal connections in the system's unique history. In other words, at each moment, the patterns of neuronal activity are explained by previous, causal patterns in the neural subsystem's own frame of reference (and this explains why human experience is limited to the activation of certain parts of the brain). The content of the interiority of a system's evolution (i.e., the experience of the color red) is described by the information encoded in the system's evolutionary patterns. More complex patterns can explain more complex subjective content, such as human self-reflective consciousness, but there is NO threshold. Simpler interiorities are also possible, typically attributed to simpler organisms. A static mass, a cup of tea, etc., do not have significant evolution and do not encode relevant informational content.

The present proposal contradicts Tononi's model, where there is an emergent threshold from which information integrates to generate a completely new phenomenology. Rather, phenomenology exists in any type of system evolution, but the quality differs depending on the informational content. And consciousness is not emergent through information integration but is a fundamental (physical) property of the evolution of a physical system.

Finally, the biggest problem of a scientific theory is experimental exploration. There are several proposed avenues in the book, involving virtual worlds built on classical or neuromorphic hardware architectures, with the intention of investigating if artificial systems (neural networks) could manifest interiority and under which conditions: in case we ensure them a causal evolution, in their own proper time (probably best reproduced on neuromorphic architectures with parallel processing) vs. causal but time-fragmented evolutions (for example, on architectures where processes unfold sequentially, not in parallel).

In this groundbreaking work, Remus Gogu proposes a new approach to consciousness that seeks to bridge the gap between subjective experience and objective reality. Written for both specialists and general readers, this book offers a scientifically-grounded yet accessible exploration of one of the greatest mysteries in science and philosophy.