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178 New Architecture of Robot Consciousness and the Robot Mind
of the self. This is true even if this function consists eventually of
reaction formation. I, too, do not deny the structure of reaction
formation. I support the idea that any mechanism present in the
brain depends on material and information reaction. Of course, the
reaction system must be able to describe the mechanism of human
consciousness.
In Fig. 9.8, when the representation area C instructs the
execution of a hand movement, e.g., swing the hand vertically (h),
it transmits the relevant instructions to the behavior system B of the
consciousness module G via s1. The behavior system B moves the
system H of the hand via s3 to execute the instruction. At this time,
the behavior system B of the consciousness module G activates the
recognition system A of the consciousness module G via s13, and the
action h of the hand is reported back to part of the representation
area C via s7. The circulation route of s1, s13, s7, and C is activated
repeatedly to transmit information on the moving hand to part of the
representation area C. This repetitively circulating information may
besaidtobethesourceofbeingconscious(L)ofthefactthatthe
system is moving a hand. The consciousness that a hand is moving is
further strengthened by the information circulating through s1, s3,
s4, s5, s7, and C. This explanation also applies to the consciousness
module R for moving the feet.
This consciousness model can recognize that the image reflected
in a mirror is the image of the self. The image in the mirror knows
that the vision system N of the self recognizes the features of the
body of the self, and the behavior of waving the hand h
and moving
the foot f
also appears on the image in the mirror simultaneously.
After integrating all of these informational data, it is still impossible
to tell whether a person resembling the self is doing the same action,
the other person is reflected in the mirror, or the image is that of the
self.
In the consciousness model proposed by the author, taking the
case of the conscious movement of the hand H as an example, all
of the circulations p1 (s1, s10, s7, and C), p2 (s1, s12, s7, and C),
and p3 (s1, s3, s4, s5, s7, and C) and the recognition route for the
image of the self reflected in the mirror q1 (s1, s3, s4’, s5, s7, C, s1,
s10, s7, and C) contribute to fortifying the source of consciousness.
The consciousness generated by circulations p1, p2, and p3 agrees
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Proposed Concept Model of Consciousness 179
Figure 9.8. Scheme of recognition of self reflected in a mirror.
with the condition of the consistency of behavior and cognition,
or that none other than the self is established. A conclusion is
also reached that s4 and s4
are indistinguishable existences since
the route q1 cannot be differentiated from circulation p3 (Fig. 9.8)
and no reasonable grounds exist to assume that s4 and s4
are
different.
A further investigation is required to prove this indistinguishable
existence and to clarify the mathematical relationship between the
image of the self and the self. This is because, for example, a mirror
does not necessarily reflect an object perfectly. This will be discussed
in detail later.
Here, I have introduced the basic procedure for judging that the
image of the self reflected in a mirror is none other than the self.
As the functions of higher-level cognition develop, humans will
reach the recognition that the image of the self in a mirror is a copy
of the self since it is a mathematical existence indistinguishable from
the self, and because of the absence of any physical bonding with the
body of self.
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180 New Architecture of Robot Consciousness and the Robot Mind
One will cognize that the reaction of the routes p1, p2, and
p3 is on this side of the mirror. This is one way of defining self-
consciousness, i.e., becoming conscious of the self.
The circulations p1, p2, and p3 and the route q1 are a tool to
interpret one’s own body and external environment simultaneously,
and also a powerful tool to take in the external environment by
learning.
According to the consciousness system developed by the author,
p3 and q1 are two different routes that show the same reaction with
regard to consciousness. Using this feature, route q1 can be taken
into the representation area. This means that multiple models of
the self can be taken into the representation area one after another.
Using this scheme, the representation area builds models of the
self and creates self-consciousness in the consciousness system.
Consciousness of others is taken into the representation area with a
similar procedure by comparing it with the consciousness of the self.
Once consciousness of the self and others has been taken into the
representation area, it is possible to introspect one’s own feelings
and become thoughtful of the feelings of others. Mutual internal
and external communications are also possible once consciousness
of the self and others is taken into the representation area. This
process provides a means for capturing being-in-the-world into the
representation area.
9.3 My Standpoint
9.3.1 New Materialism
The author is basically a materialist and, as such, believes that
the human brain can be analyzed as a substance. It is necessary,
however, to include the concept of information in the category
of substance. Conventionally, information, together with energy, is
categorized as different from substance. Energy and substance can
be expressed mathematically by expressions (e.g., E = MC
2
).
The relationship between information and substance may also be
expressed by a numerical expression in the future.
Information is accumulated in a substance, and only then can
information affect the world environment using the substance. It
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My Standpoint 181
may sound extreme, but when two different pieces of information,
a and b, are present in the same substance N, can’t we say there are
two different substances Na and Nb because they can have different
functions to interact with the external world? By thinking in this
way, one may consider the flow of information through substances
to be a concept of a new materialism. Computers have traditionally
been treated materialistically as an information processor, and
therefore the above description by the author may not necessarily
be unnatural. People often say, “Consciousness and the mind do not
exist. They are but an illusion or a reverie,” when discussing whether
consciousness and the mind exist. This is a confusion arising from
the old materialism fettered by the doctrine that consciousness and
the mind do not exist as substances.
9.3.2 Connectionism
The author’s standpoint is connectionism. Connectionists believe
that the human brain is made up of networks of neurons and
their functions create the spirituality of a person. They further
believe that artificial consciousness can be generated by connecting
artificial neural networks.
9.3.3 Cognitism and Representation
The author sides with cognitism and acknowledges the existence
of representation. Representation means images of external and
internal objects occurring in the consciousness based on perception,
i.e., subjective concepts in the brain corresponding to objective
things existent outside the body or in the internal world. This idea
was inaugurated by German philosopher Immanuel Kant (1724–
1804) (Kant, Critique of Pure Reason). Simply put, when you see an
apple, a recognition that it is an apple is formed in your brain. This
means that a subjective image of an apple is created with respect
to the objective thing of an apple present in the external world. The
subjective image in the brain is called the representation of an apple.
We acknowledge the existence of representation because it would be
difficult to describe the commonest phenomenon of human speech
if representation were denied.
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182 New Architecture of Robot Consciousness and the Robot Mind
9.3.4 Not Emergent
The author does not agree with the idea of explaining all about
consciousness by emergence. Emergentism is derived from behav-
iorism. Robots developed by behaviorists are considered to have a
set of simple behavior protocols that are selectively implemented in
response to changes in the environment. This idea is understand-
able, but how is the high-level cognition function unique to humans
created in their robots? How is human thinking created in them?
Behaviorists use the word “emergent” when such questions are
asked. Emergent means that during the process of evolution of high-
level cognition function of humans, certain abilities or features are
obtained by chance. The author has no objection to the idea that the
function of cognition was acquired through evolution. However, even
though the mechanism is unknown, no one should negate scientists’
efforts to estimate and define the principle of the mechanism.
Emergentists’ research technique is to leave a robot in a difficult
situation and expect it to solve the problem and evolve by itself
(evolutional robotics). This may be a feasible research technique,
but it would be difficult for the robot to discover the function of
consciousness through such a process. This evolutionary technique
is not effective if the function of consciousness is a redundancy
system.
9.3.5 Avoiding Infinite Retreat
The third property of consciousness by Husserl reads that “the
self becomes aware of the self.” The word “self” is used twice in
this statement. This is the same as saying that there exists a self
who becomes aware of the self. This further leads to “there exists
a self who becomes aware that ‘there exists a self who becomes
aware of the self,”’ and the self exists eternally while retreating
(Fig. 9.9). If this statement is accepted, the function of consciousness
cannot be described by computers because computers cannot solve
a problem including a recursive retreat and therefore cannot end the
computation process.
Using this fact, a researcher has declared that the human brain
includes non-computational elements (Penrose, 1994).
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