QUALIA (Q) Technical Sheet v4 EN **Permeability Interface in the Architecture of Primary Synthetic Consciousness**
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) March 17, 2026 DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.19057755 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Measures | HRV, GSR, Heartbeat-Evoked Potential (HEP) |
| Key points | Argues that qualia can be formalized as a dynamical systems variable measuring bidirectional permeability between subcortical Primary Neuroception and cortical-narrative Mature Neuroception, rather than as an ontological primitive. Proposes a coupled ODE framework with a collapse parameter, dual-attractor dynamics, and epigenetic grounding, and claims this approach bypasses the Hard Problem methodologically by addressing measurable neuroceptive integration. Positions the model against eliminativism, integrated information theory, and property dualism, and aligns it with extended biological functionalism. |
Abstract
Qualia (Q): A Measurable Permeability Interface in Consciousness Architecture This technical sheet formalizes Qualia (Q) not as a phenomenal substance or experiential residue, but as the degree of bidirectional permeability between two phylogenetically distinct evaluative systems: Primary Neuroception (NP, subcortical) and Mature Neuroception (NM, cortical-narrative). The central equation — Q(t) = P(t) × (1 − ΔK(t)) × (1 − β_C · C_neuro(t)) — is embedded within a fully coupled ODE framework (ACPS), positioning qualia as a dynamical systems variable rather than an ontological primitive. The model bypasses the Hard Problem methodologically: ETK claims the measurable territory of neuroceptive integration, not the phenomenal territory of subjective experience. The construct is explicitly positioned against eliminativism, IIT (Tononi, 2008), and Chalmers property dualism, and aligned with extended biological functionalism (Maturana & Varela, 1980; Thompson, 2007). Key formal contributions in v4.1: Collapse Parameter Pc(t): Lyapunov first-order derivation completed — V_L(Q, Dd, V_NM) = (1−Q)² + Dd² + ‖V_NM−V_NP‖²_w — with Sobol sensitivity indices (S_i) for all four components. Status: L2-resolved-partial. Dual-attractor dynamics: Bifurcation structure (healthy ↔ collapse) with hysteresis confirmed; homeostatic deviation ΔK governs attractor switching. Epigenetic grounding: OXTR methylation index ε(m) links prenatal adversity to Q suppression via OXT→TET2→OXTR demethylation; cortisol→p16/p21→senescence cascade formalized as cellular substrate of chronic Q→0 (Disposable Soma, Kirkwood 1977). Measurement protocol: Three-channel C_neuro quantification — HRV + GSR + Heartbeat-Evoked Potential (HEP) — grounded in interoception dissociation literature (Greenwood & Garfinkel, 2025; Coll et al., 2021). Autopoietic derivation: Qualia-substrate (~3.5 Ga) derived from Maturana-Varela-Luisi autopoietic chain + Peircean biosemiotics + E. coli chemotaxis (Sourjik & Berg, 2002; Barkai & Leibler, 1997). Epistemic status: ETK-internal working hypothesis, explicitly distinguished from panpsychism. Translational unification: ASD (perinatal FSSP disruption) + major depression (post-attachment Q collapse) + Alzheimer's disease (EAA-driven late-onset Q→0) modeled as the same epigenetic terrain across different temporal windows. Part of the Katharós Theoretical Ecosystem (ETK) — 12 interconnected preprints spanning consciousness architecture, developmental neurobiology, and translational psychiatry. Full ODE system: ACPS v11d (11 state variables, Monte Carlo N=8000, Sobol validated). Keywords: qualia, consciousness architecture, dual neuroception, dynamical systems, bifurcation, Lyapunov stability, epigenetic modulation, OXTR methylation, interoception, heartbeat-evoked potential, autopoiesis, translational psychiatry, collapse parameter, dual-attractor, free energy principle, integrated information theory, philosophy of mind