Thoughtforms Life "On Biological and Artificial Consciousness" by Borjan Milinkovic and Jaan Aru
9 snips
Mar 5, 2026 Borjan Milinkovic, a postdoc in multiscale neural modeling and information-theoretic emergence, explores how biology shapes computation. He contrasts algorithmic, von Neumann-style views with hybrid continuous-discrete neural processing. Topics include metabolic constraints, dendritic and field-based computations, scale integration across brain states, and criteria for creating biologically inspired synthetic consciousness.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Biology Forces A New Definition Of Computation
- Biology may require revising what counts as computation before debating synthetic consciousness.
- Borjan Milinkovic argues we must formalize biological computation capabilities at cellular and population levels prior to building 'phenomenal engines'.
Von Neumann Closure Enables Substrate Independence
- Von Neumann machines separate memory, ALU, and control, producing algorithmic closure that enables substrate independence.
- Milinkovic links this engineered separability to computational functionalism's claim that substrate doesn't matter for consciousness.
Formal Computability Versus Biological Computation
- Algorithmic computability rests on discrete alphabets, closedness, single-scale encoding, and stepwise state transitions.
- Milinkovic contrasts this with biological computation being continuous, open, multiscale, and interactional.