Reasoning About Conscious Experience With Axiomatic and Graphical Mathematics

Explore a mathematical approach to understanding consciousness in this 13-minute conference talk from the Models of Consciousness Conferences. Delve into the use of axiomatic and graphical mathematics, specifically employing the graphical calculus of symmetric monoidal categories and Frobenius algebras. Discover how this approach leverages the ontological neutrality of category theory to cast aspects of consciousness in mathematical terms. Examine a toy example that demonstrates the power of this axiomatic calculus, revealing insights into external and internal subjective distinction, the privacy of personal subjective experience, and phenomenal unity. Learn how these features naturally emerge from the compositional nature of the axiomatic calculus, addressing key challenges in scientific studies of consciousness. Follow the presentation's structure, covering motivations, framework, interpretation, consequences, and conclusions to gain a comprehensive understanding of this innovative approach to modeling consciousness.