The Self-Simulational Theory of temporal extension.
Neuroscience of consciousness January 1, 2023 Jan Erik Bellingrath
Subjective experience always unfolds in time, but it also includes a sense of the immediate past and future, forming what William James called the 'specious present.' This paper proposes a new theory—the Self-Simulational Theory of temporal extension—which explains how the subjective experience of a temporal 'now' arises from a difference between actual and counterfactual self-representations. The theory is presented conceptually and formalized using information theory in a neuronally realistic framework. Convergent evidence from studies of temporal experience, altered states of consciousness, and mental illness supports the theory, which can account for systematic variations in how long the present moment feels across different conditions. The work has implications for the neuroscience of consciousness and understanding mental illness.