A Unified Network Theory of Consciousness and the Passive Emergence of the Self
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) July 16, 2026 Ang-Yeh Li
Consciousness operates on two distinct logical levels: phenomenological consciousness, a baseline of subjective experience generated by neurobiological mechanisms, and the self-concept, a passive node in a linguistic-conceptual symbol network defined by its relations with external structures. This framework explains why biological entities like infants and animals have rich phenomenology without a coherent self-concept, and why non-biological symbolic networks like large language models can construct a robust self-concept and self-referential narratives without phenomenological qualia. The model offers a path forward for philosophy of mind and artificial intelligence ethics.