The Minimal Bearer of Experience
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) July 30, 2026 DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.21700483 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that subjectivity begins with a minimal self-maintaining organization where continued existence and termination are non-equivalent, introducing intrinsic normativity and making information meaningful. Proposes that experience is meaningful information processing within and for a subject, and consciousness is an activity of that subject. |
Abstract
This paper argues that subjectivity begins not with consciousness, memory, or self-reflection, but with a minimal self-maintaining organization for which continued existence and termination are intrinsically non-equivalent. This asymmetry introduces intrinsic normativity into an otherwise indifferent physical order, making information meaningful relative to the organization’s continued existence. On this account, experience is meaningful information processing occurring within and for a subject, and consciousness is an activity of that subject rather than an independent ontological primitive. The paper develops this claim through a series of definitions, lemmas, and a theorem identifying the minimal bearer of experience. It is the first paper in a trilogy, followed by works on selfhood and personhood.