The Theory of Cognitive Consciousness, and Λ (Lambda)

Abstract

We provide an overview of the theory of cognitive consciousness (TCC), and of [Formula: see text]; the latter provides a means of measuring the amount of cognitive consciousness present in a given cognizer, whether natural or artificial, at a given time, along a number of different dimensions. TCC and [Formula: see text] stand in stark contrast to Tononi’s Integrated information Theory (IIT) and [Formula: see text]. We believe, for reasons we present, that the former pair is superior to the latter. TCC includes a formal axiomatic theory, [Formula: see text], the 12 axioms of which we present and briefly comment upon herein; no such formal theory accompanies IIT/[Formula: see text]. TCC/[Formula: see text] and IIT/[Formula: see text] each offer radically different verdicts as to whether and to what degree AIs of yesterday, today, and tomorrow were/are/will be conscious. Another noteworthy difference between TCC/[Formula: see text] and IIT/[Formula: see text] is that the former enables the measurement of cognitive consciousness in those who have passed on, and in fictional characters; no such enablement is remotely possible for IIT/[Formula: see text]. For instance, we apply [Formula: see text] to measure the cognitive consciousness of: Descartes; and the first fictional detective to be described on Earth (by Edgar Allen Poe), Auguste Dupin. We also apply [Formula: see text] to compute the cognitive consciousness of an artificial agent able to make ethical decisions using the Doctrine of Double Effect.