Three levels of information processing in the brain.
Bio Systems July 1, 2023 Aleksandr V Zhuravlev
Consciousness may be understood as an extension of physical laws, specifically total entropy dissipation that simplifies systems. The brain processes information at three levels: serial molecular genetic processes similar to digital computations, parallel neural network computations that learn and adapt, and a third level involving subjective consciousness and qualia. Qualia-associated computations convert neural information into simpler, more compact forms internally observed as qualia, enabling the brain to recognize general laws and relationships. This gives conscious brains an advantage over artificial intelligence by allowing behavior guided by meaning rather than blind trial-and-error.