Step 6: Calculate the Omega value based on PI and CI
The last step is to calculate the CC’s capacity for phenomenal content,
or what we can label simply as “consciousness.” To obtain this figure
we multiply PI and CI to obtain the omega value, Ω, which is the end
result of this heuristic framework for quantifying the capacity for
phenomenal consciousness (Eq. 4). Omega is calculated as a simple
product of PI and CI.
Eq. 4. π x \(\psi\) = Ω
Accordingly, the PCC’s capacity for phenomenal consciousness is the
product of its perceptual bandwidth and its internal connectivity. This
equation is a potentially powerful tool for gaining real knowledge of
subjective experience because knowledge of two of the variables allows
us to calculate the value of the third variable. The rationale for this
equation is simple: each percept is, upon being incorporated into the
CC, incorporated, at least to some degree, into all of its processing
nodes. Keep in mind that the processing nodes in the CC in each
iteration are determined by the spatial extent Eq.1: xc
= m/cycle.
As a simple example, we can focus on an artificial neural network
consisting of 100 “neurons.” We can postulate a CI value of 2, in
order to demonstrate how this equation works. A CI of 2 indicates that
each node is rather slow at sending its possible data to all other
connected nodes. And we assume that electrical currents are the
energy/causal connection responsible for such information flow between
these artificial neurons. We can also postulate a PI value of 1, based
on the paucity of data we feed this information-starved mini-network.
With CI=2 and PI=1 we calculate an Omega value of 2 (1 x 2 = 2), far
down the scale from 0 to 100. Under the criteria described thus far,
this simple network would have a commensurately simple phenomenal
capacity.
Recalling our estimated PI value of 3 and CI value of 4 for the fruit
fly’s visual system, we obtain an Omega of 12, on a scale of 0 to 100,
for the same fruit fly’s visual system. In actuality, of course, there
is no separation of senses in the complex entity that is a fruit fly.
But, again, this is a simplified example to illustrate the formalisms
offered here.
Table 2 provides a few more examples of possible Omega values. It is
important to stress that these are speculative examples of how the
framework may be applied in the future. All values provided are rough
estimates and based on a normalized scale from 0 to 100.
Table 2. Possible examples of various Omega values.