The projective wave theory of consciousness
Robert Worden

TL;DR
This paper proposes a new theory suggesting that consciousness arises from a wave in the thalamus, not from neural computation alone.
Contribution
The paper introduces a novel projective wave theory of consciousness based on an undetected wave excitation in the thalamus.
Findings
Consciousness may arise from a wave excitation in the thalamus, not encoded neural information.
There is indirect evidence for such a wave in the mammalian thalamus and insect brain.
The theory avoids the decoding problem and offers a potential explanation for the evolution of consciousness.
Abstract
Many theories of consciousness propose that consciousness arises from neural computation in the brain. All information in a neural computer is physically encoded, but consciousness contains un-encoded information about local space. The information required for decoding does not reside in the brain. So consciousness cannot arise from encoded neural information; but it could arise from un-encoded information, such as an analogue model of local 3-D space. This paper proposes that the mammalian brain holds an analogue model of 3-D space, as a wave excitation in the thalamus. The wave stores information in a Fourier transform of space, like a hologram. Neurons couple to the wave, and the wave is the source of consciousness. Such a wave has not been detected in the brain; but there are reasons why it has not yet been detected, and there are reasons for a wave to have evolved. There is…
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Taxonomy
TopicsPhilosophy and Theoretical Science · Embodied and Extended Cognition · Neural dynamics and brain function
