Information generation as a functional basis of consciousness

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Science
• Evolutionary Biology

Background:

• The biological advantage and core functions of consciousness remain elusive.
• Many cognitive processes occur nonconsciously, complicating the study of consciousness.
• Existing research highlights the subjective nature of conscious experience.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a core function of consciousness based on empirical literature.
• To explore how internal representations contribute to cognitive functions.
• To provide a new perspective on the evolutionary emergence of consciousness.

Main Methods:

• Reviewing empirical literature on consciousness and cognitive functions.
• Proposing the 'information generation hypothesis' for consciousness.
• Using variational autoencoders (VAEs) as an analogy for information generation.
• Relating information generation to predictive coding and top-down predictions.

Main Results:

• Consciousness's core function is the internal generation of representations detached from sensory input.
• This information generation underlies intention, imagination, planning, memory, attention, curiosity, and creativity.
• Internal simulations using generative models, analogous to VAE decoding, enable flexible, non-reflexive behavior.

Conclusions:

• Consciousness emerged with the evolution of internal simulations, enabling intelligent behavior.
• Information generation, linked to top-down predictions in predictive coding, is central to conscious experience.
• This hypothesis integrates existing ideas and offers new insights into consciousness's functional roles.