Zhang Yinsheng
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China, Beijing 100038, China.
Biomimetics (Basel). 2025 Apr 14;10(4):241. doi: 10.3390/biomimetics10040241.
Consciousness is liable to not be defined in scientific research, because it is an object of study in philosophy too, which actually hinders the integration of research on a large scale. The present study attempts to define consciousness with mathematical approaches by including the common meaning of consciousness across multiple disciplines. By extracting the essential characteristics of consciousness-transitivity-a categorical model of consciousness is established. This model is used to obtain three layers of categories, namely objects, materials as reflex units, and consciousness per se in homomorphism. The model forms a framework that functional neurons or AI (biomimetic) parts can be treated as variables, functions or local solutions of the model. Consequently, consciousness is quantified algebraically, which helps determining and evaluating consciousness with views that integrate nature and artifacts. Current consciousness theories and computation theories are analyzed to support the model.
在科学研究中，意识难以被定义，因为它也是哲学的研究对象，这实际上阻碍了大规模研究的整合。本研究试图通过纳入多学科中意识的共同含义，用数学方法来定义意识。通过提取意识的本质特征——传递性，建立了一个意识的范畴模型。该模型用于获得三层范畴，即对象、作为反射单元的物质以及同态中的意识本身。该模型形成了一个框架，其中功能神经元或人工智能（仿生）部分可被视为模型的变量、函数或局部解。因此，意识可以用代数方法进行量化，这有助于从整合自然与人工制品的角度来确定和评估意识。分析了当前的意识理论和计算理论以支持该模型。
