The article proposes biological computationalism, a new framework suggesting that consciousness arises from the brain's unique hybrid, scale-inseparable, and energy-constrained physical computation, challenging traditional views of cognition and highlighting limitations of current AI models.
A new study challenges the traditional software metaphor of consciousness, emphasizing that physical processes in the brain, such as energy use and real-time changes, are fundamental to how the brain computes and produces consciousness, suggesting that biological material plays an active role in this process and that building conscious machines may require more than just advanced algorithms.
The article argues that consciousness cannot be reduced to simple code because the brain's computation is fundamentally different from traditional digital computers. It introduces the concept of biological computationalism, emphasizing that brain computation is hybrid, scale-inseparable, and metabolically grounded, with the algorithm being the physical substrate itself. This perspective suggests that building conscious machines may require new types of physical systems that mirror the brain's complex, energy-constrained, and multi-level dynamics, moving beyond traditional digital AI approaches.