The QBIT theory of consciousness: Entropy and qualia

Abstract

The QBIT theory is a recently introduced multi-disciplinary approach to the problem of consciousness. One of the main axioms of the theory is that when information-theoretic certainty of an observer about a stimulus goes beyond a certain threshold, the observer becomes conscious of that stimulus. This axiom could provide an explanation for how the brain generates consciousness.In short, the QBIT theory suggests that the brain generates consciousness by reducing the entropy of its internal representations below a critical threshold. This paper explains how the brain gradually minimizes the entropy of its internal representations and consequently generate minimum-entropy representations (also known as conscious representations or qualia). The paper also explores the consequences of this entropy-minimization process in the context of quantum information theory.

Keywords: Brain; Consciousness; Entropy; Information theory; Qualia; Quantum information; Representation; Sensory system.