From Learning to Consciousness: An Example Using Expected Float Entropy Minimisation

Abstract

Over recent decades several mathematical theories of consciousness have been put forward including Karl Friston’s Free Energy Principle and Giulio Tononi’s Integrated Information Theory. In this article we further investigate theory based on Expected Float Entropy (EFE) minimisation which has been around since 2012. EFE involves a version of Shannon Entropy parameterised by relationships. It turns out that, for systems with bias due to learning, certain choices for the relationship parameters are isolated since giving much lower EFE values than others and, hence, the system defines relationships. It is proposed that, in the context of all these relationships, a brain state acquires meaning in the form of the relational content of the associated experience. EFE minimisation is itself an association learning process and its effectiveness as such is tested in this article. The theory and results are consistent with the proposition of there being a close connection between association learning processes and the emergence of consciousness. Such a theory may explain how the brain defines the content of consciousness up to relationship isomorphism.

Model Unity and the Unity of Consciousness: Developments in Expected Float Entropy Minimisation

“…Model unity extends the theory of expected float entropy minimisation (EFE) which first appeared in the literature in 2012; see [5][6][7][8]. EFE minimisation is a mathematical formulation of a largely overlooked and yet arguably fundamental property of consciousness.…”

“…Accordingly, the mathematical details of EFE below, involving primary relational models, generalise to multi-relational EFE involving higher models. Little work has been undertaken on multi-relational EFE but initial definitions can be found in [5,6]. Secondly, the following talks about the nodes of a system.…”

“…In the following, we recall the mathematical details of EFE minimisation before giving the mathematical definition of model unity. It will help us with the latter if we slightly simplify the notation used in [5,6] in a similar way to that given in [8].…”

A Thermo-Dynamical Theory of Consciousness

“…However, it has never been thought to be measurable in terms of physical quantities, or to be a broader aspect than a property of living systems. In 2019, a paper was published (11) in which theory based on Expected Float Entropy (EFE) was further investigated. The theory and results were consistent with the proposition of there being a close connection between association learning processes and the emergence of consciousness.…”

A Thermo-Dynamical Theory of Consciousness

“…However, consciousness has never been thought to be measurable in terms of physical quantities, or to be more than a property of living systems (with the exception of panpsychism). In 2019, a paper was published (11) in which a theory based on Expected Float Entropy (EFE) was considered. The theory and results were consistent with the proposition of there being a close connection between associative learning processes and the emergence of consciousness.…”