Grounded Computation & Consciousness: A Framework for Exploring Consciousness in Machines & Other Organisms
Ryan Williams

TL;DR
This paper proposes a formal ontological framework for grounding computational models of consciousness, enabling estimation of qualitative experience differences between systems, thus advancing understanding of machine and biological consciousness.
Contribution
It introduces a novel ontological grounding framework for computational consciousness models, bridging the gap between abstract computation and experiential qualities.
Findings
Demonstrated a method to estimate qualitative experience differences
Framework applicable to various computational theories of consciousness
Highlights importance of ontological grounding in consciousness modeling
Abstract
Computational modeling is a critical tool for understanding consciousness, but is it enough on its own? This paper discusses the necessity for an ontological basis of consciousness, and introduces a formal framework for grounding computational descriptions into an ontological substrate. Utilizing this technique, a method is demonstrated for estimating the difference in qualitative experience between two systems. This framework has wide applicability to computational theories of consciousness.
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Taxonomy
TopicsScientific Computing and Data Management
