The pathway is only useful if it risks being wrong. Below are concrete criteria that could falsify the model, followed by a side-by-side comparison with alternative accounts of consciousness and meaning.
Falsification Criteria for Pathway Emergence #
Falsification criteria table
| Criterion |
Framework Prediction |
Falsification Conditions |
| Stage Progression |
Development must follow the sequence: organizational patterns → environmental cues → thermodynamic coupling → proto-semantics → neural representation → symbolic systems |
Discovery of symbolic agents with no neural representation, or of proto-semantic agents that never experienced thermodynamic coupling |
| Thermodynamic Bridge |
Far-from-equilibrium energy flow is required for the inside-out lens |
Semantic information emerging in closed, equilibrium systems |
| Autocatalytic Development |
Once proto-semantics appears, semantic complexity accelerates via positive feedback |
Strictly linear growth despite abundant selection pressure |
| Autopoietic Integration |
Advanced semantics requires autopoiesis & boundary maintenance |
Coherent high-level semantics in completely passive, non-autopoietic systems |
| Symbolic Threshold |
The shift to symbolism yields a combinatorial explosion of possible meanings |
Absence of threshold effects when agents acquire symbolic tokens |
Comparative Framework Analysis #
Comparative framework analysis table
| Theory |
Traditional Position |
This Framework's Distinction |
Empirical Differentiator |
| Information Integration Theory (IIT) |
Consciousness = integrated information (Φ) regardless of origin |
Adds evolutionary & thermodynamic context; integration alone not enough |
Requires developmental history + energy flow |
| Predictive Processing |
Mind = hierarchical prediction error minimization |
Prediction is necessary but insufficient; must be nested in autopoiesis |
Thermodynamic / autopoietic thresholds |
| Enactive Cognition |
Meaning arises from embodied interaction |
Supplies specific phase transitions (autocatalytic, autopoietic) & testable energy thresholds |
Observable connectivity & energy-flow markers |
| Computational Theory of Mind |
Mental states are syntactic symbol manipulations |
Rejects syntax-only emergence; demands functional grounding via evolution and energy |
Semantic agents without energy coupling would falsify computational sufficiency |
| Panpsychist Information Theories |
Consciousness is fundamental at all scales |
Claims semantic information is not ubiquitous; emerges only after specific thresholds |
Absence of semantics in sub-threshold systems |
Unique Contributions #
- Thermodynamic Grounding – ties meaning to energy dissipation.
- Stage-Specific Predictions – six qualitative thresholds with measurable markers.
- Autocatalytic Dynamics – explains rapid take-off once proto-semantics appears.
- Autopoietic Integration – necessity of self-maintenance loops.
- Worldsheet Ontology – continuous physical grounding across scales.
- Falsifiable Architecture – multiple shots-on-goal for empirical refutation.