From Emergentism to Coupling Theory: A Paradigm Shift in the Nature of Life and Consciousness
Zhang Pan (pen Name: Tianyuanzi)
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) September 19, 2026 DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.22844465 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that physicalist emergentism conflates carrier conditions with the ontological generation of consciousness and cannot account for its discontinuous emergence, and proposes "Yuanling Theory," in which consciousness is generated by the coupling of Yuanling particles with a carrier, as a paradigm shift in life and consciousness research. |
Abstract
Abstract: Physicalist emergentism holds that “consciousness emerges from complex material systems,” yet it suffers from logical paradoxes and interpretive deficiencies. This paper argues that emergence is merely the degree of complexity required at the material level, while the coupling of Yuanling particles with a carrier is the key to consciousness generation. It deconstructs emergentism across five dimensions—material, logical, experiential, experimental, and criteria—revealing its confusion between carrier conditions and ontological generation, its inability to explain the discontinuous emergence of consciousness, its failure to assimilate anomalous data, and its standard confusion on issues such as the beginning of life and death determination. Introducing Yuanling Theory as an alternative framework, this paper demonstrates that the shift from emergentism to coupling theory constitutes a paradigm shift in life and consciousness research.