Abstract

This article introduces and defends the Consciousness as Rich Information Theory (CRIT), a novel framework derived from philosophical principles and empirical observations. CRIT posits that conscious experience consists of Rich Information (RI)—subjective information that holds meaning for the cognitive process it influences. RI exists within a structured conceptual space of semantic elements (RI-space), offering a physicalist approach to consciousness. CRIT provides a solution to the Hard Problem of Consciousness and offers possible solutions to other key challenges, including the meta-problem of consciousness, the unity and continuity of experience, Libet’s experiments, blindsight, Dissociative Identity Disorder, and split-brain phenomena. CRIT proposes that each conscious experience is an instance of RI, with qualia—the irreducible, ineffable qualities of experience—identified as semantic primitives, the building blocks of meaning within cognition. The theory integrates Predictive Processing to explain valence, the subjective positivity or negativity of experience. CRIT also challenges the notion of intrinsic memory in consciousness, arguing that continuity of experience is an illusion generated by memory threads linking discrete conscious events. The model accounts for this by positing parallel, independent memory threads, with conscious access and reporting restricted to a primary memory thread, aligning with neurocognitive evidence. Finally, CRIT is critically compared to Integrated Information Theory (IIT), Higher-Order Thought Theories (HOT), and Global Workspace Theory (GWT). It is argued that CRIT is more parsimonious and accounts for a broader range of empirical and conceptual challenges. Empirical tests, such as brain-computer interfaces and inter-brain connectivity, are proposed to distinguish CRIT from competing theories.