Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 3, 2026
11:18
Closed-loop Neuro-robotic Experiments to Test Computational Properties of Neuronal Networks
Published on: March 2, 2015
Towards a computational theory of experience
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, Stony Brook University, Bioengineering Building, Room 111, Stony Brook, NY 11794-5281, United States. tomer.fekete@gmail.com
Consciousness and Cognition
|March 11, 2011
Summary
This study proposes necessary conditions for a computational theory of phenomenal experience (qualia). It argues that dynamic trajectories, not static activity, are essential for explaining subjective experience in the science of mind.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Science
- Neuroscience
- Philosophy of Mind
Background:
- Explaining phenomenal experience (qualia) computationally is a significant challenge.
- Existing neurocomputational theories often rely on static representations, which may be insufficient.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify necessary conditions for a computational theory of qualia.
- To propose a novel framework for a naturalistic computational theory of experience.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of existing computational theories of mind.
- Development of criteria for intrinsic explanations of qualia.
- Conceptualization of a dynamic, trajectory-based computational model.
Main Results:
- Common neurocomputational models fail to meet necessary conditions for explaining qualia.
- Static activity vectors are inadequate for representing subjective experience.
- A theory based on dynamical activity-space trajectories is proposed.
Conclusions:
- A computational theory of qualia must account for dynamic processes.
- Experience is realized by trajectories in activity space, not static points.
- The representational capacity of trajectory spaces determines the richness of experience.
Related Concept Videos
01:20Introduction to Cognitive Psychology
Cognitive psychology is the field of psychology dedicated to examining how people think. It attempts to explain how and why we think the way we do by studying the interactions among human thinking, emotion, creativity, language, and problem-solving, as well as other cognitive processes. Cognitive psychology studies how information is processed and manipulated in remembering, thinking, and knowing.
This field emerged in the mid-20th century, following a period dominated by behaviorism, which...
This field emerged in the mid-20th century, following a period dominated by behaviorism, which...
01:37Reason and Intuition
The human brain processes information for decision-making using one of two routes: an intuitive system and a rational system (Epstein, 1994; popularized by Kahneman, 2011 as System 1 and System 2, respectively). The intuitive system is quick, impulsive, and operates with minimal effort, relying on emotions or habits to provide cues for what to do next, while the rational system is logical, analytical, deliberate, and methodical. Research in neuropsychology suggests that the brain can only use...
01:17Cognitivism
Cognitive psychology emerged as a significant field in the mid-20th century. It focused on understanding humans' internal mental processes. This approach emphasizes how people perceive, remember, think, and solve problems—elements critical to human cognition.
Previously dominated by behaviorism, which prioritized observable behaviors and largely ignored mental processes, psychology transformed in the 1950s. Cognitive psychologists argue that understanding how we think and process information is...
Previously dominated by behaviorism, which prioritized observable behaviors and largely ignored mental processes, psychology transformed in the 1950s. Cognitive psychologists argue that understanding how we think and process information is...
01:26Structuralism
Structuralism, an early psychological theory developed by Wilhelm Wundt and his student Edward Bradford Titchener, sought to dissect the human mind into its most fundamental components. Wundt's groundbreaking work in his laboratory set the stage for Titchener to define structuralism's goal as cataloging the "atoms" of the mind—sensations, images, and feelings—akin to how chemists identify elements of matter.
Titchener's approach to structuralism was unique. He employed introspection, a method...
Titchener's approach to structuralism was unique. He employed introspection, a method...
01:21Cognitive Learning
Cognitive learning is based on purposive behavior, incidental learning, and insight learning.
E. C. Tolman's theory of purposive behavior emphasizes that much behavior is goal-directed. He argued that to understand behavior, we must look at the entire sequence of actions leading to a goal. For instance, high school students study hard, not just due to past reinforcement but also to achieve the goal of getting into a good college.
Tolman introduced the idea that behavior is influenced by...
E. C. Tolman's theory of purposive behavior emphasizes that much behavior is goal-directed. He argued that to understand behavior, we must look at the entire sequence of actions leading to a goal. For instance, high school students study hard, not just due to past reinforcement but also to achieve the goal of getting into a good college.
Tolman introduced the idea that behavior is influenced by...
01:30Information Processing Approach
The information-processing theory of cognitive development centers on fundamental mental processes, including attention, memory, and problem-solving skills. Researchers in this field examine how cognitive abilities, such as working memory, evolve and influence children's overall development. Studies indicate that children with stronger working memory tend to excel in reading comprehension, math, and problem-solving compared to peers with less efficient memory skills. Low working memory is also...