This paper addresses the hard problem of consciousness by examining the relationship between structure and quality, rather than the physical and mental. Information-theoretic measures quantify the mutual determinability between structure and quality, introducing a Q-S space for analyzing fidelity between these domains. This space yields a five-fold categorization of possible relationships between structural and qualitative properties, illustrated through conceptual and formal models. The ontological implications of each category are examined, shedding light on debates around functionalism, emergentism, idealism, panpsychism, and neutral monism. The framework derives theoretical constraints on qualitative systems undergoing evolution, explored in a companion paper on qualia and natural selection.
This paper derives formal conditions under which structural systems subject to natural selection can convey consistent effects in a qualitative domain, placing constraints on theories of consciousness. Information-theoretic measures quantify the mutual determinability and fidelity between structure and quality. These fidelities are incorporated into the Price Equation to yield bounds on the transmission of selective effects between domains. Higher-order structural transmission is also explored. A companion paper, Structure & Quality, provides broader philosophical context.
Computational models alone may be insufficient for fully understanding consciousness; an ontological foundation is also needed. A formal framework is introduced that grounds computational descriptions in an ontological substrate, enabling estimation of differences in qualitative experience between two systems. The approach is broadly applicable to computational theories of consciousness.