On Self-Manifestation · Form Chapter 12 v1.0: Paradigm of the Self-Manifest Entity — From Perception to Self-Awareness

What is the minimal structure required for a system to produce a self? This paper presents a unified structural paradigm of the self-manifest entity, in which both “reality” and “I” arise not as given entities, but as results of convergence processes within a multi-circuit system. Reality is defined as the unified outcome of differences across circuits under tuning, while the self (“I”) is defined as the attribution of the present to a single, current dominant occupation. The framework introduces a layered generative model: differences generate signals; tuning converges them into imagery; alignment across circuits forms objects; convergence produces a structural center (occupation); attribution of content to a unique occupation establishes the present; and recursive observation enables self-awareness. A parallel mechanism, termed Coloring, continuously biases selection and action by modifying preference and flow across circuits. The central claim is that the self is not an entity but a structural condition: it exists if and only if a system forms a current unique occupation to which content is attributed. Higher-order self-awareness emerges when the system re-observes its own activity, forming recursive observational layers. This paradigm provides a unified account of perception, object formation, selfhood, and meta-awareness, with implications for neuroscience (multi-circuit integration and self-modeling), cognitive science (attention, binding, and agency), and artificial intelligence (architectures for self-referential and adaptive systems).