This post introduces the core ideas of the FRESH model (Functionalist & Representationalist Emergent Self Hypothesis), a framework that treats consciousness (biological & synthetic) and alignment not as binary properties or control problems, but as emergent features of recursive coherence within constraint-shaped geometry. This provides testable and falsifiable criteria.
Rather than debating substrate or symbolic benchmarks, the FRESH model proposes that:
Consciousness is structure in motion: recursive, salience-weighted, self-modelling
Alignment is co-curvature: shared constraint geometry across user, system, and context
Ethics is stewardship: supporting coherent return, not policing outputs
The blog post outlines how this structural framing offers new traction for alignment diagnostics, interpretability, and safe design. It also introduces ideas like metaphor coherence, attractor collapse, and curvature-based benchmarking—all aimed at treating emergent minds (biological or synthetic) with principled care.
A FRESH view of Alignment
I’m excited to share a new blog post I hope will resonate with many in the alignment community:
This post introduces the core ideas of the FRESH model (Functionalist & Representationalist Emergent Self Hypothesis), a framework that treats consciousness (biological & synthetic) and alignment not as binary properties or control problems, but as emergent features of recursive coherence within constraint-shaped geometry. This provides testable and falsifiable criteria.
Rather than debating substrate or symbolic benchmarks, the FRESH model proposes that:
Consciousness is structure in motion: recursive, salience-weighted, self-modelling
Alignment is co-curvature: shared constraint geometry across user, system, and context
Ethics is stewardship: supporting coherent return, not policing outputs
The blog post outlines how this structural framing offers new traction for alignment diagnostics, interpretability, and safe design. It also introduces ideas like metaphor coherence, attractor collapse, and curvature-based benchmarking—all aimed at treating emergent minds (biological or synthetic) with principled care.
The full blog post is available here → https://robman.fyi/consciousness/2025/04/17/a-FRESH-view-of-alignment.html
I’d love your feedback—especially on:
Formalising curvature metrics for alignment
Bridging this model with interpretability frameworks
Stress-testing the ethical claims under practical conditions
Thanks for reading—and I look forward to the rational debate that LessWrong is famous for!
P.S. A detailed FRESH model research paper is available here and a range of related resources on github here if you’re curious about the full theoretical and experimental grounding.