[Paper Review] Amplifying Phenomenal Information: Toward a Fundamental Theory of Consciousness

Liane Gabora|arXiv (Cornell University)|Nov 9, 1999

Fractal and DNA sequence analysis22 citations

TL;DR

This paper proposes that consciousness arises from the amplification of phenomenal information through closure and dynamic balance at the edge of chaos. By trapping and integrating information via structural and conceptual closure, and sustaining divergent-convergent cognitive dynamics, entities like humans achieve high-level consciousness, suggesting that the apparent scarcity of consciousness may be an illusion due to shielding from external awareness.

ABSTRACT

Fundamental approaches bypass the problem of getting consciousness from non-conscious components by positing that consciousness is a universal primitive. For example, the double aspect theory of information holds that information has a phenomenal aspect. How then do you get from phenomenal information to human consciousness? This paper proposes that an entity is conscious to the extent it amplifies information, first by trapping and integrating it through closure, and second by maintaining dynamics at the edge of chaos through simultaneous processes of divergence and convergence. The origin of life through autocatalytic closure, and the origin of an interconnected worldview through conceptual closure, induced phase transitions in the degree to which information, and thus consciousness, is locally amplified. Divergence and convergence of cognitive information may involve phenomena observed in light e.g. focusing, interference, and resonance. By making information flow inward-biased, closure shields us from external consciousness; thus the paucity of consciousness may be an illusion.

Motivation & Objective

• To address the hard problem of consciousness by positing consciousness as a primitive, fundamental aspect of information.
• To explain how phenomenal information—information with intrinsic experience—can give rise to human-level consciousness.
• To investigate the mechanisms by which information becomes locally amplified to produce conscious experience.
• To explore the role of closure (structural and conceptual) and dynamic balance at the edge of chaos in amplifying consciousness.
• To challenge the assumption that consciousness is rare, suggesting it may be an illusion due to shielding from external information flows.

Proposed method

• Proposes a double aspect theory of information, where information inherently possesses a phenomenal aspect.
• Introduces closure as a mechanism to trap and integrate information, enabling local amplification of consciousness.
• Models cognitive dynamics as a balance between divergence (exploration) and convergence (integration), operating at the edge of chaos.
• Applies the concept of phase transitions to explain shifts in consciousness levels, such as the origin of life and interconnected worldviews.
• Draws analogies to physical phenomena like light interference, focusing, and resonance to illustrate cognitive divergence and convergence.
• Uses information flow bias (inward) to explain why external consciousness is not perceived, suggesting a shielding effect.

Experimental results

Research questions

• RQ1 How can consciousness emerge from non-conscious components if consciousness is a fundamental property of information?
• RQ2 What mechanisms allow for the amplification of phenomenal information into human-level consciousness?
• RQ3 How does closure—both autocatalytic and conceptual—induce phase transitions in the degree of local consciousness?
• RQ4 In what way do divergent and convergent cognitive processes maintain dynamics at the edge of chaos to sustain consciousness?
• RQ5 Why does consciousness appear scarce if it is a fundamental feature of information, and could this be an illusion due to information shielding?

Key findings

• Consciousness arises not from complex computation but from the amplification of phenomenal information through structural and conceptual closure.
• The origin of life is interpreted as a phase transition in information amplification due to autocatalytic closure.
• The emergence of a shared, interconnected worldview corresponds to a phase transition in conceptual closure, increasing local consciousness.
• Dynamic balance between divergence and convergence at the edge of chaos enables sustained, high-level conscious processing.
• Inward-biased information flow due to closure may shield conscious entities from external consciousness, explaining its apparent scarcity.
• The paucity of observed consciousness may be an illusion, as information amplification suggests consciousness is more pervasive than traditionally assumed.