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ZENODO
Preprint . 2025
License: CC BY
Data sources: ZENODO
ZENODO
Preprint . 2025
License: CC BY
Data sources: Datacite
ZENODO
Preprint . 2025
License: CC BY
Data sources: Datacite
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A Recognition-Based Cost Functional for Emergent Consciousness

Authors: Washburn, Jonathan;

A Recognition-Based Cost Functional for Emergent Consciousness

Abstract

We propose a recognition-based framework for the emergence of physical reality, deriving mass, gravity, and fundamental constants from first principles. By introducing a recognition cost functional, we demonstrate that all stable states—whether mass, gravitational fields, or even consciousness—arise through dual recognition interactions, minimizing informational and energetic overhead. This leads to a natural derivation of the Higgs boson mass (∼125\sim 125∼125 GeV), neutrino masses (∼0.1\sim 0.1∼0.1 eV), and the fine-structure constant (α≈1/137\alpha \approx 1/137α≈1/137) without free parameters. Additionally, we show that a recognition correction to Poisson’s equation reproduces galactic rotation curves without dark matter and predicts cosmic acceleration without dark energy. These results suggest that what we perceive as fundamental forces and particles are emergent from a deeper recognition process, unifying quantum mechanics, gravity, and cosmology under a single principle. In doing so, this framework goes beyond a Theory of Everything—it provides an explanation for why reality itself emerges.

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    popularity
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    influence
    This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
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selected citations
These citations are derived from selected sources.
This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Citations provided by BIP!
popularity
This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Popularity provided by BIP!
influence
This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Influence provided by BIP!
impulse
This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Impulse provided by BIP!
0
Average
Average
Average
Green