On the Universal Mechanism Underlying Conscious Systems and the Foundations for a Theory of Consciousness

Abstract

In this article, I present a novel approach to the scientific understanding of consciousness. It is based on the hypothesis that the full range of phenomenal qualities is built into the frequency spectrum of a ubiquitous background field and proceeds on the assumption that conscious systems employ a universal mechanism by means of which they are able to extract phenomenal nuances selectively from this field. I set forth that in the form of the zero-point field (ZPF) physics can offer a promising candidate that is qualified for playing the dual role as both the carrier of energy and consciousness. The appropriate mechanism, which rests upon the principle of dynamical coupling of ZPF modes, is a unique feature of quantum systems, suggesting that the dividing line between conscious and non-conscious systems is defined by the differentiation between quantum systems and classical systems. The presence of this mechanism in the brain is supported by the neurophysiological body of evidence, leading to a consistent explanation of the dynamical properties of the neural correlates of consciousness. Building on these findings, I lay the foundations for the conceptually coherent integration of consciousness into the physical worldview, derive an indicator for the quantity of consciousness of a given system, and outline the further steps toward a theory of consciousness.

The Open Mind: A Phenomenology

“…Contemplation, or reflection as Merleau-Ponty prefers, is just one effect from consciousness' ability to either dampen or amplify systematic variances of qualia space from homeostasis. These variances physically resonate throughout the phenomenal backgroundfields according to IIT studies and Keppler (Merleau-Ponty, 2014;Tononi, 2008;Keppler, 2016). These stochastic resonances, once integrated via SED, imprint both J. Adler locally in classical physical forms, as well as non-locally in radiant quantum field encoding (Tononi, 2008).…”

“…Continuing, he argues that the complexity of conscious states arises from a system's openness to the spectrum of consciousness' all-pervasive substrate (i.e., the ZPF), which is a phenomenological field discussed at length by Merleau-Ponty, and which I refer J. Adler to as "the Outernet." "Rather," writes Keppler, "evolution has brought forth increasingly complex quantum systems that rely on a universal and intelligible mechanism on the basis of which they are able to extract increasingly complex phenomenal qualities from the ubiquitous field of consciousness" (Keppler, 2016). For humans the extraction instrument is the brain, which recognizes information through a process that Hameroff, echoing Eco's semiotic mind, has both grandly and efficaciously interpreted as a means of "orchestration."…”

“…Rather, noise seems to play an essential role in the generation of gamma synchrony, so that in a realistic model the brain should be "viewed as a resonant stochastic oscillator" (Burns et al, 2010). Furthermore, also experiments investigating stochastic resonance (SR) within and between brain areas imply that "SR-mediated neural synchronization is a general mechanism of brain functioning" (Ward et al, 2006) and that "noise could play a fundamental role in biological information processing" (Keppler, 2013 (Keppler, 2016;Tononi, 2008 This dynamic, yet harmonic, field structuretherefore suggests a "bootstrap" approach to understanding how consciousness might universally weave through quantum processes of complex systems both micro and macro cosmically (Wolchover, 2017). Within living systems, the ubiquitous access to these background signals means that self-organizing information can plausibly be represented across entropic discontinuities via stochastic resonance (SR) processing to drive biological development of agency in close correlation to the thermodynamic work energy driving reproduction (Perunov, Marsland, & England, 2016).…”

“…Phenomena such as language, bird song, neurogenesis in psychedelic interactions, neuroplasticity, epileptic seizures, musical scales, flight patterns of bees, and pattern encoding in water, transmit info via nonlocal fields and entanglement pathways to aggregate harmonic organization of internal resonance patterns into higher order behaviors through SED field dynamics (Keppler, 2016). IPE such as feelings, thoughts, epigenetics, memory, and dreams composite experience into forms of perceivable matter resistant to empirical methodology due to their irreducible internal qualia (q!…”

“…The resulting field dynamics creates a poeticframework for phenomenal classification of ZPF information states to "shed light on the internal structure of qualia space" (Keppler, 2016) …”