Towards a Mathematical Structure of Global Phenomenal Consciousness

In this paper, we discuss recent developments in structural approaches to consciousness. This research program aims to characterize qualitative properties of consciousness, or qualia, by modeling relative differences in phenomenal experience in a mathematical structure, often referred to as qualia structures or qualia spaces. A recent explosion of research projects investigates the qualia structures of specific aspects of experience, such as color, sound, or odor; however, the investigation of how these local aspects of experience integrate into the qualia of a distinctively unified moment of consciousness has been largely neglected. We discuss key theoretical and experimental considerations and propose a novel mathematical framework for moving towards a structural characterization of global phenomenal consciousness.