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ReCoN-Ipsundrum: An Inspectable Recurrent Persistence Loop Agent with Affect-Coupled Control and Mechanism-Linked Consciousness Indicator Assays

Aishik Sanyal

TL;DR

ReCoN-Ipsundrum is implemented, an inspectable agent that extends a ReCoN state machine with a recurrent persistence loop over sensory salience Ns and an optional affect proxy reporting valence/arousal to operationalize Humphrey's qualiaphilia as a familiarity-controlled scenic-over-dull route choice.

Abstract

Indicator-based approaches to machine consciousness recommend mechanism-linked evidence triangulated across tasks, supported by architectural inspection and causal intervention. Inspired by Humphrey's ipsundrum hypothesis, we implement ReCoN-Ipsundrum, an inspectable agent that extends a ReCoN state machine with a recurrent persistence loop over sensory salience Ns and an optional affect proxy reporting valence/arousal. Across fixed-parameter ablations (ReCoN, Ipsundrum, Ipsundrum+affect), we operationalize Humphrey's qualiaphilia (preference for sensory experience for its own sake) as a familiarity-controlled scenic-over-dull route choice. We find a novelty dissociation: non-affect variants are novelty-sensitive (Delta scenic-entry = 0.07). Affect coupling is stable (Delta scenic-entry = 0.01) even when scenic is less novel (median Delta novelty ~ -0.43). In reward-free exploratory play, the affect variant shows structured local investigation (scan events 31.4 vs. 0.9; cycle score 7.6). In a pain-tail probe, only the affect variant sustains prolonged planned caution (tail duration 90 vs. 5). Lesioning feedback+integration selectively reduces post-stimulus persistence in ipsundrum variants (AUC drop 27.62, 27.9%) while leaving ReCoN unchanged. These dissociations link recurrence -> persistence and affect-coupled control -> preference stability, scanning, and lingering caution, illustrating how indicator-like signatures can be engineered and why mechanistic and causal evidence should accompany behavioral markers.

ReCoN-Ipsundrum: An Inspectable Recurrent Persistence Loop Agent with Affect-Coupled Control and Mechanism-Linked Consciousness Indicator Assays

TL;DR

ReCoN-Ipsundrum is implemented, an inspectable agent that extends a ReCoN state machine with a recurrent persistence loop over sensory salience Ns and an optional affect proxy reporting valence/arousal to operationalize Humphrey's qualiaphilia as a familiarity-controlled scenic-over-dull route choice.

Abstract

Indicator-based approaches to machine consciousness recommend mechanism-linked evidence triangulated across tasks, supported by architectural inspection and causal intervention. Inspired by Humphrey's ipsundrum hypothesis, we implement ReCoN-Ipsundrum, an inspectable agent that extends a ReCoN state machine with a recurrent persistence loop over sensory salience Ns and an optional affect proxy reporting valence/arousal. Across fixed-parameter ablations (ReCoN, Ipsundrum, Ipsundrum+affect), we operationalize Humphrey's qualiaphilia (preference for sensory experience for its own sake) as a familiarity-controlled scenic-over-dull route choice. We find a novelty dissociation: non-affect variants are novelty-sensitive (Delta scenic-entry = 0.07). Affect coupling is stable (Delta scenic-entry = 0.01) even when scenic is less novel (median Delta novelty ~ -0.43). In reward-free exploratory play, the affect variant shows structured local investigation (scan events 31.4 vs. 0.9; cycle score 7.6). In a pain-tail probe, only the affect variant sustains prolonged planned caution (tail duration 90 vs. 5). Lesioning feedback+integration selectively reduces post-stimulus persistence in ipsundrum variants (AUC drop 27.62, 27.9%) while leaving ReCoN unchanged. These dissociations link recurrence -> persistence and affect-coupled control -> preference stability, scanning, and lingering caution, illustrating how indicator-like signatures can be engineered and why mechanistic and causal evidence should accompany behavioral markers.
Paper Structure (31 sections, 4 equations, 4 figures, 5 tables)

This paper contains 31 sections, 4 equations, 4 figures, 5 tables.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Terminology and claims.
  3. Contributions.
  4. Related Work
  5. Reflex theory as a simplifying ideal.
  6. ReCoN and active perception.
  7. From scripts to sustained loops.
  8. Ipsundrum, affect, and indicator methodology.
  9. Model Summary
  10. ReCoN substrate: message-passing scripts as reflexive sensorimotor control
  11. Humphrey stages as staged extensions on the ReCoN substrate
  12. Evaluated variants (fixed-parameter ablations)
  13. Sensory drive $I_t$ and terminal semantics ($N^s$, $N^e$)
  14. Stage C/D: ipsundrum dynamics as a single-step state update
  15. Stage D+: Barrett-style affect as an interoceptive proxy
  16. ...and 16 more sections

Figures (4)

  • Figure 1: Familiarity-controlled corridor preference. Scenic-entry rates under novelty competition. Non-affect variants increase scenic seeking when scenic is more novel; the affect variant remains stable across the novelty manipulation.
  • Figure 2: Exploratory play. The affect variant shows more scan events and stronger limit-cycle structure without high-entropy random dithering.
  • Figure 3: Pain-tail assay. After hazard contact then removal, ipsundrum variants show non-zero post-stimulus $N^s$ AUC above baseline, but only the affect variant shows prolonged planned caution (turn-rate tail duration).
  • Figure 4: Causal lesion. Lesioning feedback+integration reduces post-stimulus persistence ($N^s$ AUC) in ipsundrum variants.