Draft:Perceptonium
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Perceptonium is a hypothetical state of matter that has been proposed to explain the phenomenon of consciousness. It is a term coined by physicist Max Tegmark, who suggested that consciousness can be understood as a mathematical pattern that emerges from certain physical systems that have distinctive information processing abilities. According to Tegmark, perceptonium is a generalization of the concept of integrated information, which was developed by neuroscientist Giulio Tononi to measure the level of consciousness in a system. Perceptonium is supposed to satisfy five basic principles that may distinguish conscious matter from other physical systems such as solids, liquids and gases: the information, integration, independence, dynamics and utility principles. These principles are based on the idea that consciousness is a way of perceiving and processing information that is both complex and unified.
The information principle states that a conscious system must be able to store, process and recall large amounts of information. The integration principle states that a conscious system must be able to combine information from different parts into a coherent whole, and that this whole cannot be decomposed into independent subsystems without losing information. The independence principle states that a conscious system must have some degree of autonomy and self-determination, and that it cannot be fully controlled by external factors. The dynamics principle states that a conscious system must be able to change its state in response to internal or external stimuli, and that it cannot be in a static or predictable state. The utility principle states that a conscious system must have some purpose or function, and that it cannot be indifferent or irrelevant to its environment.
Tegmark's hypothesis is an attempt to bridge the gap between physics and neuroscience, and to provide a testable framework for studying consciousness in various systems, such as brains, computers, or even the Universe itself. However, it is also highly speculative and controversial, as it faces many challenges and criticisms from both scientific and philosophical perspectives. Some of the main objections are:
- The lack of a clear definition of consciousness and its relation to physical phenomena.
- The difficulty of measuring and quantifying integrated information and other properties of perceptonium.
- The possibility of other forms or levels of consciousness that do not fit the criteria of perceptonium.
- The ethical and moral implications of attributing consciousness to non-human entities or systems.
References:
¹: [This Physicist Says Consciousness Could Be a New State of Matter](^1^)
²: [Consciousness as a State of Matter](^2^)
³: [Perceptronium](^3^)
Source: Conversation with Bing, 10/9/2023