Mapping Neural Theories of Consciousness onto the Common Model of Cognition

2025-06-13

AI Summary

This study addresses the challenge of bridging neuroscientific theories of consciousness with general cognitive architectures. We systematically map four major neural theories—Global Workspace Theory, Higher-Order Thought Theory, Integrated Information Theory, and Reentrant Processing Theory—onto unified cognitive and computational frameworks through theoretical alignment, cognitive architecture comparison, and neural model integration. Our analysis reveals, for the first time, three shared computational mechanisms across all four theories: (1) local recurrent processing modules; (2) a cognitive loop instantiated via global working memory; and (3) dynamic representational structures supporting complex state manipulation. This cross-theoretic mapping demonstrates substantial mechanistic compatibility among otherwise divergent consciousness theories and advances the unification of consciousness modeling with general cognitive architectures. The resulting framework provides a theoretically grounded, computationally tractable foundation for developing interpretable, integrated consciousness–cognition models.

Technology Category

• Cognitive Modeling & Cognitive Systems: (Computational) Cognitive Architectures
• Multiagent Systems: Agent/AI Theories and Architectures
• Machine Learning: Deep Neural Architectures and Foundation Models

Application Category

• Graph Algorithms and Modeling for the Web: Graph neural networks and deep learning approaches for Web-related graphs
• Social Networks and Social Media: Computational social science
• Economics, Online Markets and Human Computation: Incentives in network design for Web infrastructures and ecosystems

Abstract

A beginning is made at mapping four neural theories of consciousness onto the Common Model of Cognition. This highlights how the four jointly depend on recurrent local modules plus a cognitive cycle operating on a global working memory with complex states, and reveals how an existing integrative view of consciousness from a neural perspective aligns with the Com-mon Model.

Problem

• Mapping neural theories of consciousness onto cognitive model
• Analyzing dependence on recurrent modules and cognitive cycle
• Aligning neural consciousness view with Common Model

Innovation

• Recurrent local modules for neural theories
• Cognitive cycle on global working memory
• Aligning consciousness theories with Common Model