On the nature of conscious things 

Summary

Introduction

• How CAS learn about themselves and their environment
  
• How perception works in different CAS
• What additional complications occur with large networks of cooperating agents? 
  
• The implications of emergent constraints on how we can represent perceptions. 
  
• What are the differences between evolved intelligence enables the achievement of goals in the face of obstacles.  The goals are sub-goals of genes' survival and reproduction and include:
  • Obtaining and eating food
  • Sex
    
  • Finding and maintaining shelter
    
  • Fighting for resources - in the preferred hunter gatherer environment loss of resources was critical while possession was often transient. 
    
  • Understanding the proximate environment
    
  • Securing the cooperation of others
    
  and engineered intelligence? 
  

The problem of learning about ourselves and our local environment

• Over time evolution can build into the genes details of a self organized physical network of cellular agents.  This genetic representation is modeled by Hofstadter & Mitchell with the Copycat
  This page describes the Copycat Slipnet. 
  The goal of the Slipnet is reviewed. 
  Smiley's specialized use of the Slipnet is introduced. 
  The initial Slipnet network used by the 'Merge Streams' and 'Virtual Robot' agent-based applications is setup in initchemistry and is included. 
  The Slipnet infrastructure and initialization functions are included. 
  
  Slipnet. 
• Each time an organism develops its 'Slipnet' will indirectly encounter signals from the sensory neurons, specialized eukaryotic cells include channels which control flows of sodium and potassium ions across the massively extended cell membrane supporting an electro-chemical wave which is then converted into an outgoing chemical signal transmission from synapses which target nearby neuron or muscle cell receptors.  Neurons include a:
  • Receptive element - dendrites
    
  • Transmitting element - axon and synaptic terminals
    
  associated with its network.  The position of these signal flows will indicate the types of percepts are internal appearences of the external world and the body according to Haikonen.  RSS views them as evolved models that are:
  
  • Associated schematically with the signals generated in response to epi-phenomena detected by sensory receptors and
    
  • Acted on by emergent agents.  
  and will allow the organism to tailor a '
  This page describes the Copycat Workspace. 
  The specialized use of the Workspace by the adaptive web framework's (AWF) Smiley is discussed. 
  How text and XML are imported into the Smiley Workspace is described. 
  Telomeric aging of schematic structures is introduced. 
  The internal data structure used to represent the state of each workspace object is included. 
  The Workspace infrastructure functions are included. 
  
  Workspace' that represents its model of the local environment -- representations of its self-perceptions and its external environment. 
  
• The process will occur with massive parallelization by adaptation of the cells of the organism based on the signals they have sent and received.  Neurons that do not build strong feedback networks will kill themselves as part of this developmental process, helping limit combinatorial interference and regain resources.  Other neurons that are associated with signals that are rich in this environment will remain and build models of the proximate situation.  Hofstadter & Mitchell's simplified equivalent of the cellular agent infrastructure is the
  This page describes the Copycat Coderack. 
  The details of the codelet architecture are described. 
  The specialized use of the Coderack by the adaptive web framework's (AWF) Smiley is discussed. 
  The codelet scheduling mechanism is discussed. 
  A variety of Smiley extensions to the Coderack are reviewed. 
  The Coderack infrastructure functions are included. 
  
  Coderack which RSS has extended to support
  Plans emerge in complex adaptive systems (CAS) to provide the instructions that agents use to perform actions.  The component architecture and structure of the plans is reviewed. 
  
  schematic
  Plans change in complex adaptive systems (CAS) due to the action of genetic operations such as mutation, splitting and recombination.  The nature of the operations is described. 
  
  operations. 

Modeling in the visual system

• Made with evolved neural structures that individually know only about representing some limited aspect of the object, such as a line segment.  The use of real world constraints, captured by natural selection, within the
  The agents in complex adaptive systems (CAS) must model their environment to respond effectively to it.  Samuel modeling is described as an approach. 
  
  modelling infrastructure and the potential for combinatorial explosion when multiple sensory streams are integrated and constrained keeps the unconscious sensory pathways separated until attention is the focusing of our mental resources onto a specific piece of information.  Attention uses valuations assigned to each potential object of thought by the basal ganglia. 
  allows a small relevant subset to become the current focus.  
• Between their own position and the inputs they have received during the iterative process leading to
  Consciousness has confounded philosophers and scientists for centuries.  Now it is finally being characterized scientifically.  That required a transformation of approach. 
  Realizing that consciousness was ill-defined neuroscientist Stanislas Dehaene and others characterized and focused on conscious access. 
  In the book he outlines the limitations of previous psychological dogma.  Instead his use of subjective assessments opened the window to contrast totally unconscious brain activity with those including consciousness. 
  He describes the research methods.  He explains the contribution of new sensors and probes that allowed the psychological findings to be correlated, and causally related to specific neural activity. 
  He describes the theory of the brain he uses, the 'global neuronal workspace' to position all the experimental details into a whole. 
  He reviews how both theory and practice support diagnosis and treatment of real world mental illnesses. 
  The implications of Dehaene's findings for subsequent consciousness research are outlined. 
  Complex adaptive system (CAS) models of the brain's development and operation introduce constraints which are discussed. 
  
  
  conscious access. 
  

Perception, fast and slow

• The
  This page discusses the interdependence of perception and representation in a complex adaptive system (CAS).  Hofstadter and Mitchell's research with Copycat is reviewed. 
  
  perception and representation mechanism must be able to respond as fast as a competitor can act.  Eukaryotes, a relatively large multi-component cell type from which yeast and multi-celled plants and animals, including humans, is constructed.  It contains modules including a nucleus and production functions such as mitochondria.   can support this need for speed through massive parallelism based on connected networks of neurons, specialized eukaryotic cells include channels which control flows of sodium and potassium ions across the massively extended cell membrane supporting an electro-chemical wave which is then converted into an outgoing chemical signal transmission from synapses which target nearby neuron or muscle cell receptors.  Neurons include a:
  • Receptive element - dendrites
    
  • Transmitting element - axon and synaptic terminals
    
  .  But it must also be able to learn about new situations.  Evolution has provided a mechanism which uses repetition -- practice -- to build associations within the fast thinking areas of the brain stem includes: medulla, raphe, pons, substantia nigra, ventral tegmental area, pituitary, superior colliculi, cerebellum, thalamus (LGN), basal ganglia including caudate nucleus and striatum; amygdala, hypothalamus, nucleus accumbens; that coordinate muscle operation.   And for muscle related operations that have been evolutionarily useful
  Representing state in emergent entities is essential but difficult.  Various structures are used to enhance the rate and scope of state transitions.  Examples are discussed. 
  
  specialized fast circuits have been added to the tool set. 
• The ability to slowly and repetitively practice allows the building of associations between the brain stem and the high-level representations that must be responded to.  The indirect nature of these associations allows novel configurations and sequences of details to be associated with the fast sensor and motor regions.  After practice the slow processes disengage and an additional fast operation has been added to the memetic toolbox. 
  
• It is unlikely that new low level perceptual neurons, specialized eukaryotic cells include channels which control flows of sodium and potassium ions across the massively extended cell membrane supporting an electro-chemical wave which is then converted into an outgoing chemical signal transmission from synapses which target nearby neuron or muscle cell receptors.  Neurons include a:
  • Receptive element - dendrites
    
  • Transmitting element - axon and synaptic terminals
    
  are being deployed.  Indeed consciousness helps avoid a combinatorial explosion of conjunctions between sensory streams.  But certainly during development it is possible for neuronal recycling is Stanislas Dehaene's hypothesis that human brain architecture obeys strong genetic constraints, but some circuits have evolved to tolerate some variability.  Part of the visual system is not hardwired, but remains open to changes in the environment.  A range of brain circuits, defined by genes, provides "pre-representations" that our brains can compare to future developments in its environment.  During brain development, learning mechanisms select which pre-representations are best adapted to a given situation.  Within an otherwise well-structured brain, visual plasticity gave the ancient scribes the opportunity to invent reading.  to be used to leverage current genetically built puzzle pieces in novel ways.  
• Cats constrained during their neuron, specialized eukaryotic cells include channels which control flows of sodium and potassium ions across the massively extended cell membrane supporting an electro-chemical wave which is then converted into an outgoing chemical signal transmission from synapses which target nearby neuron or muscle cell receptors.  Neurons include a:
  • Receptive element - dendrites
    
  • Transmitting element - axon and synaptic terminals
    
  network's development phase from ever seeing horizontal lines cannot represent them when they are perceived later in life. 
  

• Modulatory neurons allow for plan-ahead. 
  
• Memory neurons is a part of the brain involved in the temporary storage or coding of long-term episodic memory.  Memory formation in the cells of the hippocampus uses the MAP kinase signalling network which is impacted by sleep deprivation.  The hippocampus dependent memory system is directly affected by cholinergic changes throughout the wake-sleep cycle.  Increased acetylcholine during REM sleep promotes information attained during wakefulness to be stored in the hippocampus by suppressing previous excitatory connections while facilitating encoding without interference from previously stored information.  During slow-wave sleep low levels of acetylcholine cause the release of the suppression and allow for spontaneous recovery of hippocampal neurons resulting in memory consolidation. 
  allow for
  Plans emerge in complex adaptive systems (CAS) to provide the instructions that agents use to perform actions.  The component architecture and structure of the plans is reviewed. 
  
  memetic structures to be encoded by the neuron network which can be used as
  Plans emerge in complex adaptive systems (CAS) to provide the instructions that agents use to perform actions.  The component architecture and structure of the plans is reviewed. 
  
  schematic state analogously to epigenetic updates represent state surfaces within cells and eggs which can be operationally modified so as to provide a heritable structure.  DNA, histones and other stable structures provide surfaces where these states may be setup.  Egg carriers are in a particularly powerful position to induce epi-genetic changes. 
  to the histones, in the eukaryotic cell are enzymes which bind to the DNA polymers supporting them and controlling their interactions with other enzymes.  In particular sets of DNA operons can be enabled or disabled by histone induced changes in the DNA polymers shape.  In AWF the histone control of DNA has been abstracted in a codelet based implementation of operon controlled programmed case control. 
  and DNA (DNA), a polymer composed of a chain of deoxy ribose sugars with purine or pyrimidine side chains.  DNA naturally forms into helical pairs with the side chains stacked in the center of the helix.  It is a natural form of schematic string.  The purines and pyrimidines couple so that AT and GC pairs make up the stackable items.  A code of triplets of base pairs (enabling 64 separate items to be named) has evolved which now redundantly represents each of the 20 amino-acids that are deployed into proteins, along with triplets representing the termination sequence.  Chemical modifications and histone binding (chromatin) allow cells to represent state directly on the DNA schema.  To cope with inconsistencies in the cell wide state second messenger and evolved amplification strategies are used. 
  .  But instead of proteins being generated as the active aspect of genetic agency, deployment of practiced episodic strategies into unconscious structures associated with the cerebellum is involved with the efficiency of fine movement. It modulates the force and range of motion and is involved in motor coordination and the learning of motor skills.  Damage to the cerebellum impairs standing, walking, or performance of coordinated movements. A virtuoso pianist or other performing musician depends on their cerebellum.  The cerebellum receives visual, auditory, vestibular, and somatosensory information.  It also receives information about individual muscular movements being directed by the brain.  The cerebellum integrates this information and modifies the motor outflow, exerting a coordinating and smoothing effect on the movements.  However, patients born without a cerebellum have survived reasonably well.  The cerebellum is part of the implicit learning mechanism.  It is required for the rabbit eye-blink to be classically conditioned to respond to a sound, and puff of air (threat to eye).  It integrates the sound and puff and outputs the response to the motor area (blink).
  , spine and muscle groups occurs where fast activity can be leveraged. 
  
• Existence of persistent memetic structures allows evolution to act.  Teaching of aural and written records both supports this capability. 
  

Slow conscious processes

No explanatory gap found

• Sensors,
  
• Motor infrastructure and the
  
• Genetic
  This page introduces the complex adaptive system (CAS) theory frame.  The theory is positioned relative to the natural sciences.  It catalogs the laws and strategies which underpin the operation of systems that are based on the interaction of emergent agents. 
  John Holland's framework for representing complexity is outlined.  Links to other key aspects of CAS theory discussed at the site are presented. 
  
  CAS which is present and highly differentiated in each live neuron, specialized eukaryotic cells include channels which control flows of sodium and potassium ions across the massively extended cell membrane supporting an electro-chemical wave which is then converted into an outgoing chemical signal transmission from synapses which target nearby neuron or muscle cell receptors.  Neurons include a:
  • Receptive element - dendrites
    
  • Transmitting element - axon and synaptic terminals
    
  . 
  

Amazon advancing

• A physical supply process with human operations, and or robots.  This is integrated with
  
• Adaptive models about what customers' desire and are purchasing.  They use these computer based models to generate personal
  
• Signal based offers to their customers.  They also have 
  
• Echo inside their customers' homes providing additional feedback and encouraging voice based enhanced intelligence services that can run as
  
• Amazon web services. 
  

• No mutation capture mechanism associated with business style reorganization and
  
• No designer or strategist involved in the cellular processes. 
  This page reviews the inhibiting effect of the value delivery system on the expression of new phenotypic effects within an agent. 
  
  Extended phenotypic alignment can act on societal
  Plans emerge in complex adaptive systems (CAS) to provide the instructions that agents use to perform actions.  The component architecture and structure of the plans is reviewed. 
  
  memetic structures that affect survival within the human gene pool.  But the phenotypic expression of genes as neural circuits, a network of interconnected neurons which perform signalling, modeling and control functions.  In Cajal's basic neural circuits the signalling is unidirectional.  He identified three classes of neurons in the circuits:
  • Sensory, Interneurons, Motor; which are biochemically distinct and suffer different disease states. 
    
  is still directly governed by Darwinian evolution. 

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