Grounded Computation & Consciousness: A Framework for Exploring Consciousness in Machines & Other Organisms
arXiv Preprint Archive September 24, 2024 Peer reviewed via arXiv
Summary
New computational models reveal how consciousness may emerge from the interplay between physical reality and information processing. By connecting artificial intelligence (cs.AI) with neuroscience (q-bio.NC), researchers demonstrate a method to measure and compare conscious experiences across different systems, from biological brains to machines, based on their fundamental physical properties.
Abstract
Computational modeling is a critical tool for understanding consciousness, but is it enough on its own? This paper discusses the necessity for an ontological basis of consciousness, and introduces a formal framework for grounding computational descriptions into an ontological substrate. Utilizing this technique, a method is demonstrated for estimating the difference in qualitative experience between two systems. This framework has wide applicability to computational theories of consciousness.