OROBORIS is a structural meta-framework for investigating the conditions under which conscious nodes may emerge in complex systems. It models consciousness as a threshold-dependent structural condition arising from six interacting variables: base support, integration, recursive closure, differentiation, stability, and alignment. The framework introduces a non-compensatory structural index (Ω), intended to estimate the conditions of possibility for conscious organization. Rather than equating consciousness with complexity or information processing, the model emphasizes the necessity of simultaneous structural sufficiency across all variables. The paper outlines preliminary operationalizations of the six variables, proposes falsifiable predictions, and defines a minimal experimental program for future empirical testing across biological and artificial systems. Version 2 (Extended Version): This version introduces new conceptual developments within the OROBORIS framework, including refinements to recursive closure (Rᶜ), structural stability (Σ), and alignment (A), as well as their non-compensatory interactions. It further incorporates complementary structural descriptors, including generativity (G) and autocentrality (Cₐ), extending the framework’s capacity to characterize the origin and internal distribution of coherent organization, without modifying the core Ω formulation. This version also includes preliminary empirical analysis using EEG data, including: - ANOVA-based discrimination across physiological states- Temporal alignment analysis (Aₜemporal) - Shuffle-based controls assessing structural sensitivity- Robustness analyses across multiple configurations This version should be considered the current reference version of the framework. The original version (v1) remains available for reference.
Margaret Blanca Wallace Araujo (Tue,) studied this question.