02/10/2025
The Unified Dynamic Model of Mind (UDMM):
The Mind's Journey from Feeling to Action
The Unified Dynamic Model of Mind (UDMM) is an attempt to unify the triadic human existence: Affect (Feeling), Consciousness, and Agency (Action or Will). Instead of treating these components as separate disciplines, the UDMM proposes they are facets of a single, integrated dynamic system striving for predictive harmony.
1. The Starting Point: Affect as "Experiential Mass"
The model posits that Affect (Feeling) is the foundational element. It's an "experiential mass" (M_{\text{affect}}) or an internal "weight" generated by the interaction of sensory input, internal bodily signals (interoception), and cultural context. This mass generates "Informational Tension" (IT).
* What is Informational Tension (IT)? It's essentially the measure of surprise or the gap between what you expected (your prior mental model) and what actually happened (the sensory outcome). IT acts as an indicator of how much the cognitive system is "perturbed".
2. The Transformation Hub: Consciousness as "Re-representation"
Consciousness in the UDMM is the critical point where raw Informational Tension (IT) is converted into something understandable and actionable. Consciousness is the active process of "re-representation" of the IT within your cultural and narrative context.
Consciousness is characterized by two sought-after states:
* The Virtual Attractor (A^*): This represents the theoretical goal of optimal stability, where Informational Tension is minimized. This is analogous to "Weekly Time," where the priority is routine and prediction error minimization.
* The Saturated World (W^*): This represents the meaning-rich, rich phenomenological experience that emerges when consciousness is nourished by the cultural context. This is "Festive Time," where the goal transcends mere survival to engaging in high-value human experiences.
3. The Operational Outcome: Agency as a "Dynamic Cascade"
Agency (Action) is the final step, where the energy of consciousness is transformed into tangible work in the world. The UDMM views action as a "dynamic cascade of transformation" that unfolds over time in distinct phases (Unconscious, Subconscious, and Conscious Agency). The purpose of this cascade is to respond to Informational Tension by modifying the external world.
4. Philosophical Boundaries and the Cognitive Contribution
The UDMM's true contribution is not in solving the "Hard Problem of Consciousness" but in reframing it into an empirical research program.
* Acknowledging Tyndall’s Point: The model explicitly acknowledges its philosophical limits, which are framed around "Tyndall’s Point". This philosophical boundary posits that understanding the exact neural or molecular mechanism of a feeling does not explain the subjective quality (the quale) of that feeling (e.g., knowing the brain chemistry of love doesn't explain the experience of love).
* The UDMM Strategy: Instead of attempting the impossible task of explaining qualia, the UDMM focuses on the mechanisms that are testable. Its aim is to explain how Affect (the raw experiential mass) transforms into Consciousness (the re-representation) and then into Agency (the action). By translating these concepts into measurable quantities, the UDMM moves the debate from metaphysics into computational neuroscience.
* Practical Implications: This framework has wide-ranging applications, from suggesting new therapeutic interventions for mental disorders to inspiring the development of more adaptive Artificial Intelligence.
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17249811