Scaling up from sentience: modularity, conscious broadcast, and a constitutive solution to the combination problem

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience and Evolutionary Biology
• Philosophy of Mind

Background:

• The evolutionary origins of complex consciousness remain a challenge.
• Existing theories struggle to explain how unified consciousness scales from simpler beginnings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and contrast two distinct models of consciousness: integrative vs. constitutive.
• To explore how evolutionary pressures might shape consciousness.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual analysis of consciousness models.
• Comparison of modular/constitutive vs. non-modular/non-local theories.
• Consideration of signal amplitude in modular models.

Main Results:

• A constitutive, modular model suggests consciousness arises from local entities whose signals combine.
• This contrasts with integrative models assuming global, unified conscious processing.
• The modular model simplifies evolutionary scaling but faces challenges explaining global perception.

Conclusions:

• The constitutive, modular model offers a parsimonious evolutionary pathway for consciousness.
• Integrative models may misdirect research by overemphasizing global brain activity.
• Further research should explore the mechanisms of signal combination and perception in modular systems.