Mathematical Relationships Between Brains and Consciousness
PsyArXiv June 11, 2026 preprint DOI: 10.31234/osf.io/k46ad_v1 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review |
|---|---|
| Key findings | Argues that the neuroscience of consciousness should progress from identifying neural correlates of consciousness, termed "bridge loci," toward discovering mathematical mappings, or "bridge laws," that relate psychometric to neurometric functions, and that mapping structural descriptions of conscious experience to structural descriptions of neuronal activity augments both paradigms. |
Abstract
A chief aim of the neuroscience of consciousness is to derive how states of conscious experience (i.e., qualia) are related to supporting brain states (e.g., patterns of neural activation within patterns of neural connectivity). This aim goes beyond identifying neuronal correlates of consciousness (NCC) on the one side, and beyond structural descriptions of conscious experience (e.g., qualia structure) on the other side. The ultimate goal is to link these two sides by mapping specific neuronal states or mechanisms to specific conscious experiences. Relating two or more phenomena in science often takes the form of mathematical mappings, such as equations (e.g., E = mc^2). This raises the possibility that there also are mathematical mappings that relate conscious states to brain states. Here we review empirical work on mapping neuronal spiking activity to conscious contents. We specifically contrast pioneering paradigms aimed at identifying “bridge loci”, in the form of NCC, with paradigms aimed at identifying “bridge laws”, such as relating psychometric to neurometric functions. We then examine how these paradigms are augmented by mapping structural descriptions of conscious experience to structural descriptions of neuronal activity.