The Vortex of Consciousness: The Physical Origin of Subjective Experience

Abstract How neural activity generates subjective experience—the "hard problem" of consciousness—remains unresolved 1. This paper proposes the Consciousness Flow Vortex Model Hypothesis (CFVM-H), positing that subjective experience arises from vortex dynamics formed by closed recursive structures in the thalamocortical loop. This vortex exhibits three core characteristics: closed-loop circulation, vortex core focusing, and global synchronization. These features directly map to three fundamental elements of subjective experience: self-boundary, first-person perspective, and a unified field of sensation. CFVM-H provides a testable, physics-based framework for the "hard problem" of consciousness, defining subjective experience as an inevitable product of vortex structure rather than a mysterious emergent property. Keywords: Hard problem of consciousness; Subjective experience; Consciousness vortex model; Central thalamic nucleus; Neural dynamics; Vortex theory