Structural Conditions for Consciousness and Their Implications for Artificial Systems
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) February 5, 2026 Matthew Carlo Allaby
This paper develops a constraint-first model of consciousness (CFMC) in which subjecthood is defined by structural constraints rather than by computation, representation, or optimization. Consciousness is formalized as requiring continuity of identity over time, intrinsic constraint closure, irreversible state evolution, structural opacity to external control, and a viability condition linking...