recurrent processing theory
In plain wordsA theory that we consciously see something only when signals in the brain's visual areas loop back on themselves, not when they merely sweep forward once.
A theory of conscious perception, developed by Victor Lamme, on which a stimulus is consciously experienced when it triggers recurrent processing — feedback and lateral signaling within and between sensory areas — rather than only the initial feedforward sweep of activity up the visual hierarchy, which can drive fast but unconscious responses. Local recurrence in sensory cortex is held to suffice for phenomenal experience even without the widespread frontal activity needed for report, so the theory holds that phenomenal consciousnessphenomenal consciousness, n.: The felt, experiential side of the mind — what it is like to taste coffee or to feel sad — as opposed to simply processing or reporting information. can overflow access consciousnessaccess consciousness, n.: Information in the mind that is available for use — for thinking, speaking and guiding behavior — whether or not any feeling comes with it.. For AI the theory makes architecture decisive: a purely feedforward neural networkfeedforward neural network, n.: A neural network laid out like an assembly line: each stage hands its result only to later stages, never back, so every answer depends on the current input alone and nothing is remembered between inputs. would lack consciousness however capable it was, while recurrent processing of perceptual representations counts as an indicatorindicator properties of consciousness, n.: A checklist of design features that leading scientific theories link to consciousness, used to judge how likely it is that a particular AI system could be conscious.. Whether a transformer's token-by-token generation amounts to recurrence in the relevant sense is disputed.
Origin
Victor Lamme and Pieter Roelfsema distinguished feedforward and recurrent modes of visual processing in 2000; Lamme proposed recurrence as the basis of consciousness in 'Towards a True Neural Stance on Consciousness' (Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 2006) and later papers.
Related
- global workspace theoryglobal workspace theory, n.: A leading scientific theory holding that we become conscious of something when the brain broadcasts it widely — as if putting it on a stage where every part of the mind can use it.
- phenomenal consciousnessphenomenal consciousness, n.: The felt, experiential side of the mind — what it is like to taste coffee or to feel sad — as opposed to simply processing or reporting information.
- recurrent neural networkrecurrent neural network, n.: A neural network that reads a sequence, such as a sentence or an audio clip, one piece at a time, carrying a running summary forward so that what came earlier can shape how later pieces are understood.
- indicator properties of consciousnessindicator properties of consciousness, n.: A checklist of design features that leading scientific theories link to consciousness, used to judge how likely it is that a particular AI system could be conscious.
- neural correlates of consciousnessneural correlates of consciousness, n.: The particular brain activity that reliably goes with a conscious experience — the minimum the brain must be doing for you to see, hear or feel something.
- global workspace theoryglobal workspace theory, n.: A leading scientific theory holding that we become conscious of something when the brain broadcasts it widely — as if putting it on a stage where every part of the mind can use it.
Sources
- Lamme, V. A. F. & Roelfsema, P. R. (2000). The Distinct Modes of Vision Offered by Feedforward and Recurrent Processing. Trends in Neurosciences 23(11), 571–579.
- Lamme, V. A. F. (2006). Towards a True Neural Stance on Consciousness. Trends in Cognitive Sciences 10(11), 494–501.
Mentioned in
consciousnessconsciousness, n.: Having experiences: there being something it feels like to be you, as when you see red or feel pain. Whether any AI is or could become conscious is an open and fiercely debated question., indicator properties of consciousnessindicator properties of consciousness, n.: A checklist of design features that leading scientific theories link to consciousness, used to judge how likely it is that a particular AI system could be conscious., neural correlates of consciousnessneural correlates of consciousness, n.: The particular brain activity that reliably goes with a conscious experience — the minimum the brain must be doing for you to see, hear or feel something.