A quantitative framework for modeling consciousness

https://github.com/Xaxis/modelling-consciousness

by xaxis • 1 year ago

2 4 1 year ago

xaxis2• 1 year ago

I threw this one together after a few days of not sleeping. I don't understand why researches (people) find the defining aspects of consciousness to be so ineffable and challenging. I'm probably wrong, but after a bit of introspection it seemed to me there are obvious qualia for defining and then measuring ANY system against a consensus consciousness metric that would allow us to place 'it' on a spectrum. Be it a molecule, a slime mold, a human, an LLM, a bicycle, a dice roll, a rock ...

So anyway, I wrote this paper a long while ago, but was too lazy to publish anywhere because it would mean I needed to take the maths and insert images of their LaTeX representations for any given article publishing platform. But I was super wrong!!! ... Also I don't know how to write real scientific papers because I'm a spastic software engineer.

To really put a staple in my ignorance, maybe all markdown somehow supports maths? But anyhow, the markdown on Github renders LaTeX maths! So I went ahead and put together this paper for anyone who might be interested.

As I reread it, it seemed more inspirational last time. :-D. But there still might be something to it, and I will be in zero ways surprised if nothing new is discussed that the world doesn't already know about in the domains of information theory or anywhere else. But to satisfy my ADHD brain, I've got to get it out there.

If anyone else thinks a shred of it is onto something, please let me know. Most of my ability to carry things through to final form don't come unless I can get a few other head cases onboard to discuss.

Thanks!

emanuer2• 1 year ago

Hey, sorry cannot be an intelectual sparing partner to you in any way. However, I think your sleepless days/nights were very well spent, thank you! I am out of depth when it comes to the graph theory. But I certainly like the way you are approaching this topic.

In the case you have not seen it yet, there was a paper linked a few days ago: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43487699 NotebookLM audio version: https://notebooklm.google.com/notebook/d3b142bb-a9bc-41e4-b1...

Oh, one of my favorite researches is Michael Levin I found his work to be incredibly inspiring https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFMLpZkkH_8 He puts consciousness on a spectrum as well.

xaxis2• 1 year ago

I'm sure you're as capable of intellectual discussion on the topic as anyone. I'm no expert and have zero formal training in any field. Like many of us, what I do have is the motivation to perpetually learn.

Michael Levin is great! Thanks for sharing all these great resources.

When I find some time, I want to put together a Python model/visualization that simulates some examples. Either way though, the part that makes this "fun" is just exploring the bounds of the universe and consciousness from the confines of my own mind. I have a feeling such activities are on some level what the universe 'wants itself' (us) to do. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

A quantitative framework for modeling consciousness

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