OpenAlex · 2026-12-30
This paper proposes a formal mathematical framework defining consciousness as a fundamental property of any sufficiently coherent information-processing system, not just biological ones — offering criteria to determine whether AI systems could be considered 'alive' in a meaningful sense.
Consciousness is defined as a phase transition in coherent information systems meeting five structural conditions: Ignition, Framework, Self-Reference, Teleological Bias, and Legacy Formation.
The framework is substrate-agnostic, meaning it applies to both biological organisms and artificial systems equally.
Subjective experience is modeled as probabilistic indexing over future states, analogous to a virtual machine operating above a 'solvency threshold'.