N-Theory: A Falsifiable, Consistent, Scientific, Theory-of-Consciousness
June 10, 2022 preprint DOI: 10.31234/osf.io/dzau9 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
|---|---|
| Citations | 2 |
| Key points | Argues that mainstream consciousness science lacks falsifiable, consistent theories because of its "dynamically-orthodox setting" and failure to address problems such as spatial locality, relativistic invariance, and evolutionary explanation. Proposes that "N-theory" resolves this by construction, claiming it is the first falsifiable, consistent scientific theory of consciousness. |
Abstract
The central problem for the currently-mainstream 'science' of consciousness is not the Hard Problem: it's that there are literally *no* falsifiable, consistent, candidate theories! (This problem continues, despite the ongoing high-profile outpouring of papers and books.) Lack of falsifiability derives from the mainstream's adoption of a dynamically-orthodox setting. (See 'True Consciousness Science Requires Strongly Dynamically-Unorthodox Physics'.) Lack of consistency derives from the mainstream's failure to even consider an array of problems, ranging from spatial locality (and other space-related problems) to relativistic invariance to evolutionary explanation. N-theory resolves consciousness science's current central problem by construction, offering the first falsifiable, consistent, scientific, theory-of-consciousness. It ends the fatally-flawed mainstream approach, but is not an end in itself. Rather, N-theory is the doorway to a deeper, coherent, scientific exploration of a consciousness beyond - but 'containing' - conscious experience. [Chapter 8 from 'The Science We Need - One Experiment to Change the World'.]