An Integration of Integrated Information Theory with Fundamental Physics

Abstract

To truly eliminate Cartesian ghosts from the science of consciousness, we must describe consciousness as an aspect of the physical. Integrated Information Theory states that consciousness arises from intrinsic information generated by dynamical systems; however existing formulations of this theory are not applicable to standard models of fundamental physical entities. Modern physics has shown that fields are fundamental entities, and in particular that the electromagnetic field is fundamental. Here I hypothesize that consciousness arises from information intrinsic to fundamental fields. This hypothesis unites fundamental physics with what we know empirically about the neuroscience underlying consciousness, and it bypasses the need to consider quantum effects.

arXiv comment10 pages, 1 table

References in corpus (1)

• Proceedings 7th International Workshop on Developments of Computational Methods

Cited by in corpus (5)

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• The Phi measure of integrated information is not well-defined for general physical systems
• Simultaneity of consciousness with physical reality: the key that unlocks the mind-matter problem
• Toy Models of Top Down Causation
• Collapse and Measures of Consciousness