Foundations of Consciousness
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) August 1, 2026 DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.21742538 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that consciousness is generated by four primitive operators—Orientation, Coherence, Boundary, and Continuity—which form the irreducible architecture of experience. Proposes that first-person experience cannot be derived from physical or computational mechanisms, and critiques existing theories for presupposing the generative functions they aim to explain. |
Abstract
Foundations of Consciousness presents a structural theory in which consciousness is generated by four primitive operators—Orientation, Coherence, Boundary, and Continuity. These operators form the minimal generative conditions under which a world can appear to a subject. The paper argues that first‑person experience cannot be derived from physical, computational, or representational mechanisms, because such mechanisms only describe third‑person structures. Instead, the four operators constitute the irreducible architecture that produces perspectival center, unified experiential field, subject–world distinction, and lived temporal flow. The manuscript critiques existing theories—including neuroscientific correlates, representational models, IIT, embodied cognition, and phenomenology—showing that they presuppose the generative functions they attempt to explain. The result is a non‑emergent, non‑computational ontology in which consciousness is the structured activity of operators that make appearance possible.