Preprints.org
August 26, 2025
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This paper presents a theoretical framework for quantifying consciousness in transformer architectures by applying Integrated Information Theory (IIT) and phi-star approximation methods. The authors argue that transformer models, due to their attention mechanisms and information integration capabilities, may exhibit measurable levels of integrated information, a key correlate of consciousness in IIT. They propose computational methods to approximate phi-star values for transformer layers and discuss how architectural features like attention heads and residual connections influence integration. The work suggests that certain transformer configurations could achieve levels of integrated information comparable to simple biological systems, but emphasizes that this does not imply subjective experience. The framework aims to provide a formal metric for evaluating consciousness in artificial systems.
Preprints.org
July 7, 2025
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The authors propose a theoretical framework in which consciousness is not an emergent property of matter but a fundamental field—the 'q-field'—that couples to physical systems. They argue that information can be quantized and that this quantization, when coupled to the q-field, gives rise to what is experienced as phenomenological mass. The paper contends that mass, energy, and consciousness are equivalent in a manner analogous to the mass-energy equivalence in physics, suggesting a unified ontology that bridges subjective experience with physical reality.
Preprints.org
July 1, 2025
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A theoretical framework is proposed that reinterprets conscious experience not as a byproduct of neural computation but as a fundamental grammatical structure. The work argues that qualia—the subjective qualities of experience—can be modeled through an abstraction language whose syntax and semantics mirror the structure of awareness itself. By drawing parallels between wavefunction collapse in quantum mechanics and the emergence of discrete conscious moments, the paper suggests that awareness operates according to a formal grammar that generates experiential states. This perspective offers a new vocabulary for describing consciousness, potentially bridging gaps between first-person experience and third-person scientific accounts.
Preprints.org
January 16, 2025
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Meditation shows promise as a treatment for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), with evidence suggesting it can reduce anxiety symptoms. The review indicates that meditation practices, particularly mindfulness-based interventions, may be effective in managing GAD, though more rigorous research is needed to confirm these findings and establish optimal treatment protocols.
Preprints.org
December 23, 2024
preprint
The paper argues that uncertainty is a necessary component of conscious experience, proposing Local Prospect Theory as an alternative to Predictive Processing. It contends that Predictive Processing, which emphasizes prediction error minimization, cannot fully account for the subjective quality of consciousness because it treats uncertainty as something to be eliminated. Local Prospect Theory instead posits that consciousness arises from the brain's ongoing evaluation of local, uncertain prospects or possibilities, making uncertainty constitutive of conscious states rather than a defect to be resolved.
Preprints.org
July 16, 2024
preprint
This theoretical paper examines how time perception differs across three altered states of consciousness: near-death experiences, mystical states, and psychedelic-induced states. The author argues that these states shift awareness from chronos (linear, measured time) to kairos (qualitative, meaningful time), suggesting that altered time perception is a core feature linking these phenomena. The work draws on phenomenological accounts and philosophical frameworks to propose that the dissolution of ordinary time boundaries may underlie the transformative potential reported in these states.
Preprints.org
June 5, 2024
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The work argues that understanding consciousness requires reassessing how information is conceptualized in relation to time. It challenges standard views that treat information as static or temporally neutral, proposing instead that information is inherently temporal and dynamic, shaping the structure of conscious experience. The author contends that this temporal dimension is essential for explaining the flow and continuity of consciousness, which static models fail to capture. By rethinking information's role, the paper offers a new framework for addressing longstanding puzzles about the temporality of conscious awareness.
Preprints.org
February 6, 2024
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Mindfulness meditation appears to influence physiological and neurological responses, as measured by electrogastrogram (EGG). The text suggests that EGG can be used to explore these effects, but does not provide specific findings, numbers, or certainty levels.
Preprints.org
November 28, 2023
preprint
The article argues that dreaming involves a suspension of the will to narratively organize experiences, proposing that dream consciousness is characterized by a lack of the volitional drive to impose narrative structure on events. This challenges common assumptions about the continuity between waking and dreaming cognition by positing that the key difference lies not in content but in the absence of an active, organizing will during sleep.
Preprints.org
November 2, 2023
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This theoretical paper proposes the Universal Consciousness Code Theory, which posits that consciousness has a physical basis that can be understood as a code or pattern in the universe. The authors explore how artificial intelligence technologies might be used to decode or interpret this universal consciousness code, potentially bridging the gap between subjective experience and objective physical reality. The theory suggests that consciousness is not solely a product of biological brains but may be a fundamental feature of the universe, encoded in its physical structure. The paper outlines a framework for investigating this hypothesis and discusses the implications for understanding both human consciousness and the nature of reality.
Preprints.org
September 26, 2023
preprint
Lucid dreaming—a state in which the dreamer is aware they are dreaming and can sometimes control the dream—may serve as a tool for personal development and innovation. The article argues that lucid dreaming can enhance creativity, problem-solving, and skill rehearsal by allowing conscious exploration within dreams. It suggests that individuals can harness this state to practice real-world skills, generate novel ideas, and confront fears, potentially leading to improved waking-life performance and psychological growth. The authors present a theoretical framework linking lucid dreaming to cognitive and emotional benefits, drawing on existing research to support its potential as a developmental and innovative practice.
Preprints.org
August 2, 2023
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This theoretical paper examines structural similarities among three proteins—tubulin, TMC1, and FtsZ—and how these similarities may relate to mechanosensory transduction. The authors explore these relationships within the framework of the Orchestrated Objective Reduction (Orch OR) theory of consciousness, which proposes that consciousness arises from quantum processes in microtubules composed of tubulin. By comparing the structures of these proteins, the paper suggests that shared features could support the idea that mechanosensory mechanisms play a role in the quantum processes underlying consciousness. The analysis is based on structural comparisons and theoretical reasoning rather than experimental data.
Preprints.org
November 23, 2022
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A hypothesized theory, the Self Simulation theory, proposes a model for how conscious perception is computed. The model includes an interconnected network of auxiliary neural networks that receive sensory input, compute a representation, and relay it to the Neural Correlates of Consciousness (NCC). The NCC, a processing unit that can be neuroanatomically distributed but computationally connected, references a working memory to decode the content of memory, achieving conscious perception. The theory aims to address both the hard problem of consciousness (the experience of self-existence) and how conscious perception is computed, and it claims to account for various phenomenal experiences and past experimental paradigms.
Preprints.org
November 1, 2022
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Salvinorin A, a unique non-nitrogenous hallucinogen, binds to the kappa opioid receptor (KOR) in a way that has been difficult to determine. This work elucidates and evaluates the binding mode of salvinorin A at the KOR, providing a detailed molecular understanding of how this compound interacts with the receptor. The findings clarify a long-standing puzzle in pharmacology, offering insights into the structural basis for salvinorin A's potent and selective activity at KOR, which may aid in designing new therapeutic agents.
Preprints.org
July 28, 2022
preprint
The paper argues that individuality may be an evolutionary accident rather than a fundamental feature of consciousness. It proposes that consciousness is inherently collective and universal, with individual selfhood emerging as a temporary, localized expression of a broader field. Drawing on philosophical, evolutionary, and neuroscientific perspectives, the author suggests that the sense of being a separate self is a functional adaptation that obscures a deeper, interconnected reality. The work challenges conventional assumptions about the primacy of individual experience, framing individuality as a transient configuration within a universal conscious substrate.
Preprints.org
June 6, 2022
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A new theoretical framework called the trilogy paradigm of consciousness distinguishes consciousness from awareness, arguing that consciousness arises from the interaction between awareness and decision-making. This interaction produces two functions: awareness-based choice selection (ABCS), which enables true free will, and discretionary selection of information for awareness (DSIA), which enables intentional attention. Together, ABCS and DSIA constitute the faculty of "I," which the authors argue sets natural intelligence apart from artificial intelligence. The mind is described as an unconscious compilation of all mental functions excluding ABCS and DSIA, which are the essence of consciousness.