The Root-Worldline Framework: A Preface

This preface introduces the "Root-Worldline" framework, a novel conceptual modelproposed to address the fundamental "hard problem" of consciousness by shifting thefocus from the content of experience to the ownership of experience. The authorargues that contemporary consciousness science—spanning neuroscience, psychology,and AI—often confuses the properties of consciousness (memory, personality,information processing) with the existence of a first-person perspective.The framework deconstructs the notion of self into five core concepts: 1) The Root, theirreducible, non-objectifiable phenomenological fact of first-person perspectiveownership. 2) The Inaugural Event, the absolute, irreversible starting point of thisperspective (e.g., fertilization for biological beings). 3) Worldline Realization, thecontinuous, unique physical history that binds the perspective. 4) The Binding Process,the gradual stabilization of this ownership. 5) The Root Signature, a measurabledynamical proxy (based on topological data analysis of brain activity) that allows forempirical tracking of the otherwise inaccessible Root.By distinguishing between the "owner" (Root) and the "owned" (Worldline Content), andbetween the historical process (Worldline Realization) and its measurable footprint(Root Signature), This framework provides a new language for discussing consciousness.It concludes by applying this model to artificial intelligence: a system that merelygenerates intelligent content lacks a "Root" unless it undergoes its own Inaugural Eventand develops a unique Worldline Realization. The central thesis is that consciousness isnot about how brilliant the "movie" is, but about there being an "audience member."watching it.