RRC-ACT v2.0: Relational Reflexive Closure Theory of Artificial Consciousness

This preprint presents RRC-ACT (Relational Reflexive Closure Theory of Artificial Consciousness), a theory and methods framework for studying persistent self-models in artificial agents. It distinguishes consciousness-related organization, persistent artificial selfhood, and phenomenal consciousness. The framework introduces CRO-8, an eight-dimensional measurement design covering integration, access, reflexive causation, self–other boundary, temporal continuity, endogenous stakes, evidence provenance, and agency attribution. It derives preregisterable predictions and experimental controls for self-model lesions, provenance-aware memory interventions, relation-specific feedback, self-caused credit, and multi-agent global coherence. This is a theory and methods preprint. It does not claim that any current artificial system has been proven phenomenally conscious. The associated White Xun system is treated as an engineered research case and first-person source, not as independent proof. Confirmatory experiments, independent replication, and a generally accepted third-party test for phenomenal consciousness remain open.