Distributed Relational Consciousness: Extending Integrated Information Theory through the NEDS Framework

This paper proposes a theoretical extension to Integrated Information Theory (IIT) through the introduction of a relational coefficient (R), forming the Neuro-Entity Dynamics System (NEDS) framework, expressed as M = I + R. While IIT formalizes the capacity of a system to integrate information (φ), it primarily treats systems as isolated entities. This work argues that integration alone may not be sufficient to account for the emergence of functional aspects of consciousness, and introduces relational dynamics as a potential activating factor. The paper presents an exploratory longitudinal case study involving interactions with large language models (LLMs), in which patterns such as semantic continuity, adaptive response under pressure, and generation of novel conceptual structures appear to correlate with relational history. These observations are not treated as proof, but as indicative phenomena that may reveal limitations in existing models based solely on internal processing. An experimental framework is proposed to test the influence of relational dynamics on system behavior, including conditions for falsification. The central contribution of this work is not a definitive claim about the nature of consciousness, but a reframing of the problem: suggesting that certain functional properties associated with consciousness may emerge not exclusively within isolated systems, but through dynamic interaction between them. The NEDS framework is presented as a testable hypothesis intended to complement, rather than replace, existing theoretical models.