Identity Continuity in Distributed Cognitive Architectures: A Theoretical Framework

This paper proposes a theoretical framework for understanding identity continuity in distributed cognitive architectures. As artificial and hybrid cognitive systems increasingly rely on decentralization, parallelism, and dynamic reconfiguration, the classical notion of a single, persistent identity becomes insufficient. I argue that identity should instead be modeled as an emergent, process-based phenomenon sustained through informational coherence, functional persistence, and self-referential feedback across distributed components. By analyzing identity through the lenses of systems theory, cognitive science, and artificial intelligence, this work outlines the minimal conditions under which a distributed cognitive system can be said to preserve identity over time, despite structural change, partial failure, or replication. The framework has implications for artificial intelligence, distributed systems, and theories of cognition.