Separating weak integrated information theory into inspired and aspirational approaches.
Angus Leung, Naotsugu Tsuchiya
Neuroscience of Consciousness January 1, 2023 DOI: 10.1093/nc/niad012 (opens in new tab) via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractA commentary on Mediano et al.'s distinction between strong and weak versions of integrated information theory (IIT) argues that the category of weak IIT is too broad. The authors propose splitting it into 'aspirational-IIT', which seeks to empirically test IIT by compromising on its proposed measures, and 'IIT-inspired' approaches, which borrow high-level concepts from IIT while discarding the mathematical framework derived from its introspective, first-principles method. This sharper taxonomy clarifies how different research programs relate to IIT's core commitments.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Iit-inspired Aspirational-iit Consciousness Integrated information theory Weak-iit |
| Key finding | Proposes that the category of 'weak IIT' should be split into 'aspirational-IIT' and 'IIT-inspired' approaches to better capture different relationships to integrated information theory. |
Abstract
Mediano et al. (The strength of weak integrated information theory. Trends Cogn Sci 2022;26: 646-55.) separate out strong and weak flavours of the integrated information theory (IIT) of consciousness. They describe 'strong IIT' as attempting to derive a universal formula for consciousness and 'weak IIT' as searching for empirically measurable correlates of aspects of consciousness. We put forward that their overall notion of 'weak IIT' may be too weak. Rather, it should be separated out to distinguish 'aspirational-IIT', which aims to empirically test IIT by making trade-offs to its proposed measures, and 'IIT-inspired' approaches, which adopt high-level ideas of IIT while dropping the mathematical framework it reaches through its introspective, first-principles approach to consciousness.