protocontrollers
A protocontroller is a theoretical concept in neuroscience and artificial intelligence representing a hypothetical primitive control mechanism. It is imagined as a basic unit capable of initiating and modulating a simple action or response based on an internal state or external stimulus. The idea is to explore the minimal requirements for what could be considered a rudimentary form of agency or directed behavior. Protocontrollers are not actual observed entities but rather abstract models used to understand the evolutionary and developmental origins of more complex control systems.
The concept is often employed in discussions about the emergence of consciousness and intentionality. By breaking
The study of protocontrollers helps to bridge the gap between purely passive systems and actively behaving