The Holographic Coding Framework: Making Consciousness Computable
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) October 30, 2026 preprint DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.23790518 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Preregistered |
|---|---|
| Key points | Proposes the Holographic Coding Framework (HCF), which defines life fluency as the product of carrier integration and consciousness brightness (a geometric mean of four α-factors), and puts forward a directed causal chain and a growth-priority index (H_trend = α₁²) as testable hypotheses. Preregistered human-cohort analyses are said to support bounded convergent and structural claims for the finalized computation, but the authors state that neither the causal chain, clinical actionability, nor the growth hypothesis is established. |
Abstract
Psychology promises to study the human person, yet consciousness itself lacks a widely accepted quantitative framework. Here we introduce the Holographic Coding Framework (HCF), a theory-specified computational approach to subjective experience and consciousness–carrier interaction. Built on four explicit design assumptions, HCF defines life fluency (H) as the product of carrier integration (R_carrier) and consciousness brightness (R_consciousness). Consciousness brightness aggregates four α-factors through a geometric mean; a directed causal chain and the growth-priority index H_trend = α₁² are separate, empirically testable hypotheses rather than consequences established by the present data. HCF complements theories such as IIT, GNW, and HOT by focusing on operationalization, mind–body interaction, and change over time. Preregistered human-cohort analyses support bounded convergent and structural claims for the finalized computation, while a separate software study demonstrates the architecture in another domain; neither establishes the causal chain, clinical actionability, or the growth hypothesis. HCF therefore offers an explicit computational language and a program of falsifiable tests, not a completed science of consciousness. The framework offers a candidate common metric for research on conscious functioning; clinical, educational, organizational, and legal uses remain prospective and require domain-specific validation. Revised preprint, version 1.1. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.