Consciousness defined: requirements for biological and artificial general intelligence
arXiv Preprint Archive June 3, 2024 Craig I. McKenzie
Consciousness is the apparatus enabling decision-making, defined by fundamental requirements rather than by observed behaviors. Drawing on current theories and neurological evidence, the author argues that consciousness requires at least some capacity for perception, a memory to store perceptual information that provides a framework for imagination, and a sense of self capable of making decisions based on possible and desired futures. The loss of any one component removes the capability for conscious thought. This definition allows objective assessment of consciousness in any agent, including non-human animals and artificial intelligence, without requiring choice behavior or explicit temporal awareness.