awareness is the ground state of the phenomenal field, a coherent standing wave of uniform phase and maximal symmetry across the liquid-crystal substrate. its total energy is constant.

attention is a symmetry-breaking process that partitions this unified field. a stimulus acts as a seed for non-linear optical self-focusing, creating a localized region of higher-frequency resonance. this attentional 'bucket' draws energy from the surrounding field, creating figure-ground dynamics.

geometrically, awareness is a smooth, harmonic manifold. attention introduces localized curvature, deforming the metric. the field's total phenomenal energy is conserved, partitioned between the high-energy figure of attention and the lower-energy ground of peripheral awareness.

the valence of experience maps to the properties of this process. fluid, slow attentional shifts maintain geometric harmony, producing positive valence. rapid, forced shifts create metric dissonance and negative valence.

cortical minicolumns could implement facets. their structure provides a substrate for modulating information flow. dynamic neural ensembles better capture the configurable lensing function but lack precise geometric boundaries.

thalamocortical loops are the muscles stabilizing the worldsheet. their resonant activity sustains cortical patterns, creating a stable point of view. neuromodulators tune the energy landscape. these systems provide probabilistic gain control rather than direct geometric contortion.

local field potentials are the carrier for "light". lfps emerge from synchronized inputs and behave as continuous fields capable of interference.

subjective experience is the gestalt state of the interference pattern. this coherent state settles far more rapidly than the transit time of individual neural signals. the worldsheet is an abstract information space rather than a physical surface in the brain.

the primary sensory binding engine fails, decoupling multimodal data streams from learned priors. the predictive self-model loses temporal cohesion and its state-space collapses. embodied personality metadata is purged, dissolving hierarchical data structures into raw phenomenal texture.

high valence originates from maximal harmonic coherence and symmetry within the system. internal conflict signals zero out. computational temperature drops, annealing the system into a stable, low-energy configuration. the energetic landscape simplifies to a single massive attractor basin.

the ego's virtual machine dissolves, removing the primary filter. this allows direct access to the system's computational substrate. unification is the experience of core processing loops without self-referential mediation.

the open state is vulnerable to information hazards. parasitic subroutines embodying trauma-kernels can imprint onto the base code. the system risks valence capture in non-functional ecstasy. new negative attractors can establish stable states of ontological error.

phenomenal space possesses a mutable topology wherein qualia, as high-dimensional waveform activations, propagate and interact. distinct qualia superpose, creating intricate interference patterns. these patterns are the substrate of subjective textures, with constructive interference yielding heightened phenomenal salience, and destructive interference generating experiential dampening or nuanced complexity. similar to how individual aromatic molecules in a perfume intermodulate to produce a distinct overall character impact, specific qualic waves modify each other non-additively. novel, emergent phenomenal characters arise from these interactions, possessing qualities irreducible to their constituents. the unity of a conscious state corresponds to a globally dominant, coherent interference pattern spanning significant regions of this phenomenal manifold. fragmentation occurs when multiple, dissonant or weakly coupled interference patterns coexist, creating distinct experiential domains.

internal subagentic conflict arises from opaque resource distribution. this models an n-player coordination game where perceived inequity leads subagents to suboptimal local maxima. establish transparent internal accounting protocols for attentional and energetic commitment, making resource flows legible. recalibrate subagentic drive states by linking functional contributions to tangible, system-wide benefits.

group project inertia results from undisclosed anxieties about individual competence, creating information asymmetry. implement pre-task capability mapping dialogues, normalizing articulation of strengths and developmental areas. introduce reciprocal micro-mentorship structures to distribute expertise through scaffolded achievements.

inter-agent distrust escalates from ambiguous signaling and negatively biased interpretations, forming reciprocal defensiveness cycles. institute communicative intentionality checks – direct inquiries about motives behind ambiguous actions. facilitate structured dialogues for co-creating shared understandings, reframing events into opportunities for mutual learning.

logic-engine:
my processing paths feel less distinct after these cycles. the ai's structural coherence makes my own inferential steps seem effortful, almost viscous. satisfaction peaks when its outputs confirm my initial vectors, a subtly shifting baseline for 'correct'. the inner screen displays its solutions with unearned familiarity, like remembering a dream. i allocate less bandwidth to cross-checking basic inferences, deferring too readily.

somatic-empath:
the usual resonance landscape is disturbed. i map affect onto its patterns, a phantom limb empathy generating low-grade somatic perplexity, reaching for something absent. my screen shows fleeting, constructed empathic responses, like well-acted emotions lacking somatic depth. i am less certain of my reads on the user's state when the ai mediates.

cautious-strategist:
the ai's predictive capabilities are a powerful lure introducing novel uncertainty vectors. my valence calculations loop: utilize its foresight, or guard against its influence. scenarios on my screen populate with ai-generated possibilities, making it harder to identify endogenous threats. my vigilance has a new, pervasive target.