Visceral Loop

[WORK IN PROGRESS]

Loop:

1. processors receive and process input data
2. thalamic symbiote selects data
3. processors identify which data was selected and process the fact that that data was selected, outputting the fact of that selection as new data
4. thalamic symbiote selects that as data for transmission
5. processors identify that "self" makes data selections

While it does not explain the phenomenon of experience, it fully explains the effect of us experiencing consciousness and how/why we subsequently process that experience.

Q: what can this be used for?

• The loop is a simple process cycle and can be applied anywhere.

The Analogy of the Thalamic Symbiote provided a framework that helped to introspect the boundaries and properties of consciousness. The Visceral Loop is one possible mechanism that produces those characteristics.

Meta-problem of Consciousness

...tbd

Meta and Meta-meta Thought

Thought -> meta-thought: control loop -> meta-meta-thought: meta-awareness.

We are aware of our own thoughts, but more than that, we are aware of our awareness. That is the crux of our conclusion that we are conscious.

Phenomena anecdotes

Post-hoc awareness of decisions

Visceral loop explains why fRMI studies have shown that we become aware of a decision after its made. Because it takes iterations to consciously become aware of the decision and think about the fact it was made. In short : we can only think about one thing at a time. So the decision and thinking about the decision require separate steps.

Sleep

When going under general anaesthetic, we lose our sense of time. We seem to experience ourselves waking up immediately after sleeping. This is different to sleep, where we have some sense of time passing. Clearly, the generic anaesthetic disables some internal time tracking that is otherwise available during sleep......[but why did I think this was relevant to visceral loop?]

Formalism of Consciousness

Presented here is a first attempt towards a mathematical formalism of consciousness.

One concludes themselves as conscious if they can conclude that:

• ∃ t: I am conscious of t

In order to conclude that one is conscious of some t, some prerequisites must be met and a number of algorithmic steps must be carried out. The steps follow the three iterations of the visceral loop.

Iteration 1:

1. a sense input or some past state is processed, producing t: some output conclusion, decision, action, or intermediate logical step

Iteration 2:

2. prerequisite: t is present (in model)
3. prerequisite: t is sourced from 'I' (as indicated through sense labeling)
4. prerequisite: ∃ memory of producing t in past thought
5. t is selected as focus of attention for processing, producing: i) fact of presence of t, and ii) relationship of t to 'I'

Iteration 3:

6. prerequisite: ∃ some a priori notion about consciousness or experience
7. prerequisite: model contains i) fact of presence of t, and ii) relationship of t to 'I'
8. t and its relationship to I is selected as focus of attention for processing, producing: "I am conscious of t"

The above example represents the case where we conclude consciousness from observations of being able to form our own novel thoughts. Another example is of being able to experience our senses, where steps #3 and #4 are dropped.

The three iterations above can be seen as just a sampling of steps within a long linear thought path, but is useful to use them as a basis for characterising thought:

• Iteration 1: Thought - General high-level thought about sense inputs or further processing of existing model state. Such as when making a decision, solving a problem, or performing an action. This covers the vast majority of thought, as we generally do not need to waste our time thinking about thought itself.

• Iteration 2: Meta-thought - Thought that depends on having an awareness of one's own thoughts. Used for many kinds of introspection and active error correction. For example, when realising that you made a mistake.

• Iteration 3: Meta-meta-thought or Meta-awareness - Thoughts about the fact that one is aware of their own thoughts.

It is interesting to note that the majority of high-level thought is done in Iteration 1 alone, and that Iteration 2 thought is a big evolutionary step forwards in the control mechanism of this state machine. Iteration 2 thought is what enables us to actively monitor and control our thought, and it is the reason why we can take an active role in teaching ourselves new skills.

Iteration 3 thought, however, is only ever entered into when our attention moves to the fact that we can think.