Object-Oriented Cognition Theory, Dawn of a New Scientific Revolution

Abstract

Cognitive consciousness, the awareness of self and environment through mental processes, remains a central enigma in cognitive science and philosophy. This paper explores cognitive consciousness through the lens of Object-Oriented Cognition, a framework that integrates diverse cognitive domains and provides conceptual tools for addressing epistemological challenges. Two foundational principles are emphasized: first, consciousness inherently unfolds within a temporal context, and second, it is inseparable from the physical organism that houses cognition. Within this framework, cognitive consciousness is not a cognitive object or event but a fundamental substrate enabling the formation and experience of cognitive objects. This substrate facilitates the connection between incoming cognitive stimuli and value functions—mechanisms by which a living being allocates and utilizes internal and external resources. The paper highlights that without the organismal connection, such cognitive processing and meaningful cognitive events cannot occur. Cognitive consciousness, therefore, acts as a dynamic interface that links cognition with physiological and environmental realities, ensuring the functionality and coherence of cognitive behavior. By emphasizing the indispensability of this substrate for the emergence of cognitive events, this research provides a new perspective on the structural role of consciousness in cognition. Although this approach sheds light on the nature of cognitive consciousness, it also identifies open questions, particularly regarding the mechanisms sustaining this substrate and their relation to neural processes issues that invite further inquiry within the Object-Oriented Cognition framework.