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Perceptronium is a hypothetical state of matter proposed as a solution to the hard problem of consciousness. It is a term coined by physicist and cosmologist Max Tegmark, who suggested that consciousness can be understood as a mathematical pattern that emerges from certain physical systems that have distinctive information processing abilities. Such a state of matter is therefore achieved naturally through the evolutionary adaptations responsible for the human brain, but can also be recreated artificially in the construction of a sufficiently powerful supercomputer or general artificial intelligence. Tegmark proposes two states of matter, computronium and perceptronium, reflecting the two functions of conscious matter described by integrated information theory (IIT), which was developed by neuroscientist Giulio Tononi and is the basis of Tegmark's theory.[1]
Tegmark originally proposed the theory in 2014[1] and the concept would continue to be discussed into the present day.
Integrated information theory
editTononi's theory identifies consciousness as a two-fold function, first being able to collect and recall large and complex amounts of information, and secondly unifying that information into a single, indivisible whole. These abilities are therefore said to be possessed by computronium and perceptronium respectively. Perceptronium must then also satisfy five basic principles used by Tononi to distinguish conscious matter from other physical systems such as solids, liquids and gases: the information, integration, independence, dynamics and utility principles.[1]
The information principle states that a conscious system must be able to store, process and recall large amounts of information. The integration principle states that a conscious system must be able to combine information from different parts into a coherent whole, and that this whole cannot be decomposed into independent subsystems without losing information. The independence principle states that a conscious system must have some degree of autonomy and self-determination, and that it cannot be fully controlled by external factors. The dynamics principle states that a conscious system must be able to change its state in response to internal or external stimuli, and that it cannot be in a static or predictable state. The utility principle states that a conscious system must have some purpose or function, and that it cannot be indifferent or irrelevant to its environment.[1]
Computronium and perceptronium
editRay Kurzweil and Max Tegmark [...] argue that consciousness is a core feature of complex neural networks, just as temperature is a feature of collections of particles and reflects the kinetic energy associated with their motion.[2]
The theory of perceptronium allows one to avoid the thought experiment of a philosophical zombie, arguing that if a system is complex enough to appear conscious, it must have already attained the state of matter necessary for such an appearance to manifest. Tegmark and Kurzweil suggest a "sliding scale" of consciousness from inanimate matter, through several different strata of sapient or non-sapient animals, up to humans as the most evolved species.[2]
Tegmark's hypothesis is an attempt to bridge the gap between physics and neuroscience, and to provide a testable framework for studying consciousness in various systems, such as brains, computers, or even the universe itself. However, it is also highly speculative and controversial, as it faces many challenges and criticisms from both scientific and philosophical perspectives. Some of the main objections are:
- The lack of a clear definition of consciousness and its relation to physical phenomena.
- The difficulty of measuring and quantifying integrated information and other properties of perceptronium.
- The possibility of other forms or levels of consciousness that do not fit the criteria of perceptronium.
- The ethical and moral implications of attributing consciousness to non-human entities or systems.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d BEC Crew. "This Physicist Says Consciousness Could Be a New State of Matter", Science Alert, 15 September 2016. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
- ^ a b Gussman, Steven. "The Consciousness Conundrum", Areo Magazine, 30 May 2023. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
General
edit- WILSON, ALEXANDER. Aesthesis and Perceptronium: On the Entanglement of Sensation, Cognition, and Matter. University of Minnesota Press, 2019. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.5749/j.ctvqmp2fr. Accessed 4 June 2024.WILSON, ALEXANDER. Aesthesis and Perceptronium: On the Entanglement of Sensation, Cognition, and Matter. University of Minnesota Press, 2019. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.5749/j.ctvqmp2fr. Accessed 4 June 2024.
- Max Tegmark, Consciousness as a state of matter, Chaos, Solitons & Fractals, Volume 76, 2015, Pages 238-270, ISSN 0960-0779, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chaos.2015.03.014. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960077915000958)
- "A New Theory in Physics Claims to Solve the Mystery of Consciousness", Neuroscience News, 11 August 2022. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
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