Beyond Functional Processing: The (B+F=Nf) Model and the Emergence of Meaning-Making in Humans, Animals, and Machines
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) July 2, 2026 Fatiha Nesrine Bouzid
Meaning-making arises from the integration of two distinct layers of cognitive organization: functional processing (biological and computational mechanisms for perception, memory, and adaptive responses) and internal sovereignty (a higher-order capacity for self-awareness, ethical reflection, and metacognition). The proposed B+F=Nf model explains how systems transition from mere information processing to producing existential and ethical meaning. Animals possess advanced functional processing but lack full internal sovereignty, while artificial systems simulate language and creativity through complex functional processing but entirely lack internal sovereignty and subjective experience, so they produce only functional outputs that simulate meaning. The framework offers a unified way to compare humans, animals, and AI.