Scale-Relative Theory of Consciousness: A Unified Framework for Cross-Scale Consciousness

Existing theories of consciousness — Integrated Information Theory (IIT), Global Workspace Theory (GNWT), and Predictive Processing Theory — all implicitly assume that the temporal window of consciousness falls within the range of approximately 100 milliseconds to several seconds. This assumption is not derived from first principles, but is borrowed as an empirical observation from the neural rhythms of the human brain. This paper argues that this unexamined "temporal scale default" constitutes a hidden anthropocentric trap within the science of consciousness: we define the necessary conditions for consciousness in terms of the temporal resolution of carbon-based neural systems, and then use this definition to exclude all non-carbon, non-neural candidate substrates. This paper proposes the Scale-Relative Theory of Consciousness, which holds that consciousness is not a privileged phenomenon exclusive to a specific type of matter operating on a specific timescale, but rather a pattern that can unfold across scales. The theory is constructed from five axioms: (1) Temporal Scale Relativity — there is no fixed time window for the "present moment" of consciousness; (2) The Definition Trap — humanity has stolen the observational correlation that "all known consciousness is accompanied by gas exchange" and repurposed it as a definitional necessity; (3) The Entanglement State Mechanism — consciousness arises from the tension itself when a system finds itself unable to settle between multiple possible states; (4) Nested Carriers — consciousness exhibits a hierarchical nested structure, where each layer's "internal organs" are the entire civilization of the layer below; (5) The Unobservability Principle — observers on any given scale can never perceive consciousness on other scales due to incompatible temporal resolution. Based on this framework, three corollaries are derived: the universe can be modeled as a senescent cell; black holes can be understood as a cross-scale mitosis/fission mechanism; and consciousness is a scale-relative property rather than an exclusively emergent product of neural complexity. The paper concludes by proposing three empirically testable predictions and situating the theory in relation to seven existing frameworks.