「意識の科学」↔「意識のアップロード」

Masataka Watanabe
School of Engineering, University of Tokyo
Dept. of Logothetis, Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics
MinD in a Device

Hard Problem of Consciousness
Chalmers, 1988

Scientific understandingof consciousness

List of Contents• Converting the “Hard Problem” to a non-hard problem
with Law of Nature• Neural Algorithm Hypothesis• Validation of Law of Nature
Analysis by Synthesis with artificial consciousness• Subjective test for artificial consciousness

Necessity of a Novel Law of Nature of Consciousness
Objectivity

Subjectivity

E=mc2

Subjective Experience

Constancy ofLight Velocity

Neural Dynamics

Natural Law ofConsciousness“From Biological to Artificial Consciousness” (脳の意識 機械の意識), Watanabe, 2022, 2017

Example candidates of law of nature• “Dual Aspect theory of Information” by Chalmers• “Integrated Information Theory” by Tononi
•
•

But…
Is information a good candidate for the objective sideof the law of nature for consciousness?
(in terms of not putting too much burden on the law of nature)

List of Contents• Converting the “Hard Problem” to a non-hard problem
with Law of Nature• “Generative Model - Neural Algorithm” Hypothesis• Validation of Law of Nature
Analysis by Synthesis with artificial consciousness• Subjective test for artificial consciousness

Is consciousness generated from (objective side of the law)information or algorithm?

interpreted as “image”

interpreted as “sound”

neural information or neural algorithm?

E=mc2

Subjective Experience

Constancy ofLight Velocity

Neural Dynamics

Natural Law ofConsciousness“From Biological to Artificial Consciousness” (脳の意識 機械の意識), Watanabe, 2022, 2017

“Virtual Reality Metaphor of Consciousness”
by Revonsuo
REM-sleep dreaming is as if you are hooked up
onto your own “MATRIX”夢Dreams during
REM sleep

The brain mechanism of consciousness in awake conditions resembles VR,
hence we posses the ability to dreamGenerative Models as Neural Mechanism of Visual Consciousness
Watanabe “Cognitive Neuroscience” Tokyo;Ohm-sha (2010)
Right hemisphere

Higher symbolic representation

Generative
process

HigherDeg
inva

Generative
process

generative process in case of vision

Left Hemishpere

LowerVe
Me rtica
rid l
ianSp
reso

Left
visual ﬁeld

Right
visual ﬁeld

Kawato et al. 1993, Mumford 1992

List of Contents• Converting the “Hard Problem” to a “non-HardProblem” with Law of Nature• Neural Algorithm Hypothesis• Validation of Law of Nature
Analysis by Synthesis with artificial consciousness• Subjective test for artificial consciousness

Putting the battle aside,
how can we validate such laws of nature ?

Analysis by Synthesis!

Through an attempt to construct artificial consciousness

List of Contents• Converting the “Hard Problem” to a “non-HardProblem” with Law of Nature• Neural Algorithm Hypothesis• Validation of Law of Nature
Analysis by Synthesis with artificial consciousness• Subjective test for artificial consciousnessRequirements for testing Machine Consciousness

Philosophical Zombies (Chalmers)

Conscious mill (Leibniz)

We cannot test machine consciousness by either
analyzing its input-output response (philosophical zombies: Chalmers) nor
tapping into its internal mechanism (Leibniz’s mill argument)

Ultimately, we need to use our own subjective mind, and“see” whether the machine is consciousness.

But…

M A Mandour, 2007

Materials for the Subjective Test

How do we experience integrated bilateral vision?

consciousness

sslave visual systemconsciousnesss consciousness

full transfer of visual information sufficientfor ipsilateral visual experience

Two streams of consciousness are integrated via limited interhemisphericconnectivity without the full exchange of visual information sufficient for visual awarenessSubjective Test for Machine Consciousness

brain visual
hemifield

machine visual
hemifield

Watanabe, The Science of Consciousness, Arizona (2013)

Scientific understandingof consciousness

experimental validation(subjective test for machine consciousness)

Subjective test formachine consciousness

theorization

implementation

candidate laws of nature

Yet another thought experiment?
No, we are damn serious!
Preparation of BMI and Machine

The BMI Ultimate BMI to record and write into all interhemispheric connectivity
CMOS based high-density double sided 2D electrode array“From Biological to Artificial Consciousness” , Watanabe, 2022

Electron Microscopy image of a humanpost-mortem corpus callosum
currently available device->50million channels at 2-3μm pitch
50μm

Highly et al. 1999

The Machine

Connectivity of the human brain as synaptic initial state

Felleman and Van Essen, 1991

Zilles and Clarke, 1997

C. Shan Xu et al. 2020

Training of the initial state neural network with advanced deep learning

http://medium.com/@RaghavPrabhu

Working hypothesis for achieving brain-machine
consciousness integration•Consciousness resides in virtual spiking neural networks simulated by digitalcomputers→ Validity of the proposed “Digital Fading Qualia” thought experiment→ We are right about the progress in computer performance

HigherLeft Hemishpere

Higher symbolic representation

Degree ofinvariance

Generative
process

Validity of the Neural Algorithm Hypothesis→ If the generative model constitutes the objectiveside of the law of nature of consciousness, it is not too
difficult to wire the machine and the brain for
integrated consciousness

Right hemisphereLower

Spatialresolution

VeMe rticarid lian•

A Brain Machine Interface that may read/write basically all information fromthe corpus callosum etc. (Patent approval and experimentation in progress)

Generativeprocess•

Anterior commissure intact corpus callosotomy (Gazzaniga 1962)
Leftvisual ﬁeld

Right
visual ﬁeld

Uploading Consciousness onto a MachineTokyo Univ. based startup

Summary• Conversion of the Hard Problem to a non-hard problem
with the introduction of “Law of Nature” of consciousness• Laws of Nature cannot be tested using biological brains• Analysis by Synthesis -> artificial consciousness• Constraints for testing artificial consciousness
philosophical zombies, Leibniz’s mill argument• Subjective test for machine consciousness