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Rodolfo Llinás – Oscillatory Consciousness

Description

Llinás argues that consciousness arises from the rhythmic, ongoing electrical activity in the brain—especially the thalamocortical loop. He emphasizes 40 Hz oscillations as a potential basis for unified conscious experience, even in the absence of sensory input.

Resonance

PET agrees that continuity in internal signaling is critical for sustained pattern evaluation. A recursive pattern engine, like Llinás’s oscillatory loop, is consistent with PET’s requirement for sustained self-modeling.

Reframing

Llinás hears the music and calls it consciousness.
PET asks: what is the band trying to play—and why does it care if the song continues?

Rhythm may be the sound of patterns being evaluated. But PET says consciousness isn’t about keeping the band in rhythm—it’s about keeping the band together. Continuity—not synchronization—is the purpose.

PET adds: just because a loop exists doesn’t mean it evaluates anything recursively. A metronome ticks. That’s not a mind.