I·V·O emerged from phenomenological experience, but the underlying structure proves useful in much broader domains. Yet it is not a physical theory, not a biological model, and not an explanation of consciousness.
I·V·O is an architectural lens — a minimal form-language to recognize how systems create order.
The model explains nothing "instead of" existing science. It offers a domain-independent structure to make corresponding dynamics visible.
1. Two layers: phenomenological and universal
To remain consistent, I·V·O distinguishes two levels:
A. Phenomenological layer — how experience appears
- I — perception / moment of collapse
- V — direction, attention, intention
- O — context, open potential
B. Universal layer — a minimal ordering architecture
- O — potential field / possibilities
- V — gradient / tension line / direction
- I — collapse to form / actualization
The two layers mirror each other but are not identical. This separation keeps the model clear and applicable across different domains.
2. Why this structure appears in many systems
Many dynamics — physical, biological, psychological, computational — follow a recognizable three-part pattern:
- a field of possibilities (O)
- a direction-giving force or gradient (V)
- an actual form, choice, or outcome (I)
I·V·O does not claim this is "reality"; it shows that this structure regularly recurs when systems self-organize.
3. Clear mappings per domain
AI
- O — latent space (possible representations)
- V — loss gradient / prompt / attention-direction
- I — generated output
Behavior
- O — options / scenarios
- V — motivation / tension / intention
- I — choice / action
Biology
- O — variation field
- V — selection pressure
- I — phenotypic form
Dynamical systems
- O — state space / attractor landscape
- V — system forces / drifts
- I — current state / attractor collapse
These are not explanations but mapping examples: ways to recognize the same ordering geometry.
4. What I·V·O does and doesn't claim
I·V·O is NOT:
- not a physics theory
- not an evolution model
- not an explanation of consciousness
- not a Theory of Everything
I·V·O IS:
- a minimal, domain-independent lens
- a form-language to recognize ordering
- a structural pattern visible in many systems
- a bridge between phenomenology, AI, behavior, systems and biology
It is a way of looking, not a replacement for existing models.
5. Minimality as strength
Many fundamental structures in science are simple:
- evolution: variation → selection → inheritance
- Bayes: prior → likelihood → posterior
- dynamical systems: field → direction → state
I·V·O shares that simplicity, without replacing the underlying mathematics, biology, or physics. It is a form-language, not a competing mechanism.
6. The core statement
I·V·O is a minimal form-language for ordering:
potential (O) → direction (V) → form (I).
Consciousness, behavior, AI and biology fit within it — as patterns, not as explanations.
7. Why this is valuable
Because it:
- connects domains without reducing them
- is clear for phenomenology and technically useful in AI
- works across scales without grandiosity
- prevents misunderstandings about philosophical claims
- provides a consistent framework for behavior, systems and emergence
- forms a sober, professional starting point for further development
I·V·O is therefore not a theory about what the world is, but a minimalist lens for how systems order themselves.