The Chrono-Resonant Field Model: A Theory of Temporal Binding in Consciousness

Abstract

Current dominant theories of consciousness (GNW, IIT, Predictive Coding) leave the mechanism of temporal unification—how the brain integrates asynchronous neural processing into a coherent present—largely implicit. This paper proposes the Chrono-Resonant Field Model (CRFM) to address this gap. The CRFM posits that consciousness emerges as a dynamic interference pattern between top-down predictive signals ("Offer Waves," carried by Theta/Alpha oscillations) and bottom-up sensory signals ("Confirmation Waves," carried by Gamma bursts). This classical transactional architecture—structurally isomorphic to the Transactional Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics but implemented through standard neurophysiology—solves the latency problem by establishing temporal coordinates prospectively via phase-amplitude coupling. The model generates falsifiable predictions that distinguish it from competitors, provides a mechanistic account of subjective referral and the "thickness" of the present, and offers a unified explanation for disorders of temporal experience and agency, including the passivity phenomena of schizophrenia.