Axiomatizing consciousness, with applications
This work addresses the challenge of modeling consciousness for researchers in philosophy, cognitive science, and AI, but it appears incremental as it builds on existing interdisciplinary ideas without introducing a new computational method.
The paper tackles the problem of formalizing consciousness by proposing an axiomatic framework based on insights from Buddhist meditation, computer science logic, and cognitive neuroscience, defining it as a compound, discrete, and computable stream of configurations, and applies this to show how developing concentration and mindfulness can reduce suffering.
Consciousness will be introduced axiomatically, inspired by Buddhist insight meditation and psychology, logic in computer science, and cognitive neuroscience, as consisting of a stream of $configurations$ that is $compound$, $discrete$, and (non-deterministically) $computable$. Within this context the notions of self, concentration, mindfulness, and various forms of suffering can be defined. As an application of this set up, it will be shown how a combined development of concentration and mindfulness can attenuate and eventually eradicate some of the forms of suffering.