2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

Reveal the informational nature of conscious self and sense of agency under the information closure theory of consciousness

Research Project

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Project/Area Number	22K20679
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
Allocation Type	Multi-year Fund
Review Section	0704:Neuroscience, brain sciences, and related fields
Research Institution	Rikkyo University (2023) The University of Tokyo (2022)
Principal Investigator	Chang Acer Yu-Chan 立教大学, 現代心理学部, 助教 (50831484)
Project Period (FY)	2022-08-31 – 2024-03-31
Keywords	consciousness / theory of consciousness / information theory / information closure
Outline of Final Research Achievements	During the research period, we explored the fundamental nature of consciousness and the sense of agency using the Information Closure Theory (ICT). This theory suggests that consciousness arises from particular patterns of information processing within a system. We created a new mathematical model that incorporates actions into the ICT framework to describe the conscious self and agency. Our research consisted of three phases: (1) developing the mathematical foundation, (2) conducting small-scale simulations, and (3) applying the model to advanced AI systems.. These simulations used artificial neural networks to validate our model, and the application to AI systems helped test its broader relevance. The outcomes of our research offer a deeper understanding of consciousness and its mechanisms, which could have significant implications for neuroscience and ethical considerations in AI development.
Free Research Field	Neuroscience
Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements	私たちの研究は、科学的および社会的に重要な意義を持っています。科学的には、情報閉包理論（ICT）に基づく新しい数学モデルを開発し、意識とエージェンシーのメカニズムを解明しました。このモデルをシミュレーションで検証し、高度なAIシステムにも適用しました。この研究は、神経科学や認知科学の基本的な問題に取り組み、意識の理解を深めるものです。社会的には、AIの倫理的使用に関するガイドラインや政策の策定に役立つ可能性があります。また、人間の心の理解を深めることで、メンタルヘルス治療の改善にも貢献するでしょう。この研究は、科学と社会の架け橋となり、AIや認知科学に対する倫理的なアプローチを促進します。