Hunt and Schooler’s General Resonance Theory

Philosopher/writer Tam Hunt and theoretical/experimental psychologist Jonathan Schooler propose the General Resonance Theory (GRT), which holds that consciousness arises from synchronized resonance across multiple scales of nature, with electromagnetic fields serving as the primary seat of consciousness rather than merely correlating with it. GRT bridges electromagnetic field theories with panpsychist foundations, offering a solution to panpsychism's combination problem of consciousness. While accepting that neurons and synaptic transmission are necessary for consciousness, GRT argues they are insufficient for the complex consciousness that humans and other mammals enjoy—the electromagnetic fields themselves constitute conscious experience, complexifying through resonance to create the rich phenomenology of human awareness. (Tam & Schooler, 2019)

The theory posits that synchronization, harmonization, vibrations, or resonance, in their most general sense, have an integral relationship with consciousness itself. A key problem GRT addresses is, “How do micro-conscious entities combine into a higher-level macro-consciousness?” This is known as the “combination problem.”

In the context of mammalian consciousness, GRT suggests that shared resonance of various types, but primarily in nested hierarchies of electromagnetic fields, allows different parts of the brain and body to achieve a phase transition in the speed and bandwidth of information flows between constituent parts. This resonance-enabled phase transition enables richer varieties of consciousness to arise, with the character and content of consciousness in each moment determined by the particular set of constituent fields engaged in resonant communication.

Thus, consciousness just is a nested set of interacting electromagnetic fields, with resonance (matched oscillatory frequencies) providing the mechanism for micro-conscious entities to combine into macro-conscious wholes. (Tam & Schooler, 2019).

The Panpsychism Axiom

GRT operates on an explicit panpsychism axiom, proposing that consciousness manifests as a continuum of increasing richness in all physical stuff. All physical entities possess rudimentary conscious experience, but consciousness remains extremely simple in most cases due to limited physical complexity in much of the universe, mirrored by limited mental complexity. It is generally only with the evolution of complex biological forms that we see complex consciousness.

GRT's panpsychism axiom distinguishes it from emergentist materialism by suggesting that even simple physical systems possess rudimentary forms of experience that can combine through resonance into more complex conscious states. It is particularly in biological life forms that this complexification manifests as higher forms of consciousness, but the same processes achieved in biological life could, in theory, be harnessed in artificial systems (Hunt, 2025).

GRT Elements

Phase Transitions. Shared resonance enables phase transitions in the speed and bandwidth of information exchange, allowing previously disordered systems to self-organize and achieve conscious unity. Resonance allows for a step function increase in speed and bandwidth.

The Boundary Conjecture. The spatial and temporal boundaries of any conscious entity are established by the slowest-frequency shared resonance, calculated by the formula x = v/f (extension = velocity/frequency).

Nested Without Extinction. Conscious entities form nested hierarchies where subsidiary consciousnesses persist rather than being eliminated—"the many become one and are increased by one,” as Whitehead was fond of stating. This is different than, for example, Integrated Information Theory, which assumes “extinction” of all subsidiary consciousness.

The Resonome. Specific patterns of electromagnetic field shapes at different organizational levels constitute the "resonome" of consciousness—the atlas of patterns comprising particular qualia in any milieu.

Quantitative Benefits. Electromagnetic field computation offers roughly 10,000× parallelism, 40,000× reduced latency, 1,000× energy efficiency, and 5,000× sensitivity compared to synaptic/digital computing alone.

The Combination Problem

GRT emerged from Hunt's early work on the combination problem in panpsychism (Hunt, 2011). The central challenge: if consciousness is fundamental, how do micro-conscious entities combine into unified macro-conscious experiences? Traditional panpsychist theories struggled with either the "grain problem" (too many conscious entities) or the "binding problem" (no mechanism for combination).

The electromagnetic aspects of GRT focus on how neural oscillations and field effects create the binding mechanisms for conscious experience (Hunt, 2023). Hunt's solution centers on resonance (matched frequencies in proximity) as the binding mechanism. Unlike mere aggregation, resonance creates genuine phase transitions where the whole transcends its parts while preserving their individual contributions. This approach draws from process philosophy, particularly Whitehead's notion that reality consists of "actual occasions of experience" that prehend and integrate with one another.

The Three Core Conjectures

GRT rests on three conjectures, which Hunt and Schooler claim are empirically testable (Hunt and Schooler, 2019):

Conjecture 1: The Shared Resonance Conjecture
Shared resonance is what leads to the combination of micro-conscious entities into macro-conscious entities. The authors argue that this isn't mere correlation—resonance actively enables information integration across scales, creating channels for previously isolated conscious entities to merge specific features, while maintaining their distinct contributions and identities.

Conjecture 2: The Boundary Conjecture
The boundaries of a macro-conscious entity depend on the velocity and frequency of the resonance chains connecting its constituents. Hunt (2020) formalized this as x = v/f, where x represents the spatial extent of consciousness, v is the propagation velocity of the relevant waves, and f is their frequency. This provides the basis for a quantitative framework for determining consciousness boundaries.

Conjecture 3: The Nested Consciousness Conjecture
Any biological macro-conscious entity will have subsidiary/nested micro- and macro-conscious entities, without extinction of the subsidiaries. Unlike Integrated Information Theory's exclusion principle, GRT maintains that nested entities retain their individual consciousness while contributing to higher-level awareness.

GRT and Electromagnetic Field Theories

GRT identifies electromagnetic fields as consciousness's primary substrate for several reasons. First, electromagnetism represents the dominant force at the scale of life. Second, electromagnetic fields provide the only known physical mechanism capable of integrating information across the spatial and temporal scales required for unified consciousness.

Field Dynamics vs. Neural Spikes. GRT distinguishes between the discrete, digital nature of neural spikes and the continuous, analog nature of electromagnetic fields. While synaptic transmission travels at 0.1-120 m/s, electromagnetic waves in grey matter propagate at up to 47 km/s—a 40,000-fold advantage. This speed differential enables essentially instantaneous global brain states that would be impossible through synaptic transmission alone. Hunt and Jones (2023) argue that oscillating electromagnetic fields and synaptic firing jointly comprise the dynamics of cognition and consciousness, but fields provide the spatially and temporally fine-grained dynamics necessary for binding. The field shapes themselves, representable through EEG frequency and amplitude patterns, constitute specific qualia at particular organizational levels (Hunt and Jones, 2023).

Ephaptic Coupling and Causal Efficacy. Critical to GRT is evidence that electromagnetic fields exert causal influence on neural activity through ephaptic (non-synaptic) coupling. Anastassiou et al. demonstrated that endogenous brain activity can causally affect neural function through field effects under physiological conditions. This challenges epiphenomenal views that treat electromagnetic fields as mere byproducts (Anastassiou et al., 2011). Hunt and Schooler cite recent evidence that strengthens this position. Chiang et al. (2019) showed slow periodic activity in hippocampal tissue can self-propagate non-synaptically through mechanisms consistent with ephaptic coupling (Chiang et al., 2019). Lee et al., and Cunha et al., also find significant evidence for the causal impact of ephaptic fields (Lee et al., 2024; Cunha et al., 2024). Fields aren't just correlates—they actively shape neural dynamics and, according to GRT, literally constitute conscious experience itself.

Empirical Support for EMF and GRT

Hunt claims recent key findings for Electromagnetic Field Theories in general and General Resonance Theory in particular (Hunt, 2023).

. Key findings supporting GRT include:

• Fast EM field changes occur at all spatiotemporal scales of the brain
• Long-range synchrony can be mediated rapidly by EM fields
• Both consciousness and EM field synchrony appear/disappear quickly with sleep, seizures, and anesthesia
• Gamma-band synchronization (30-80 Hz) consistently correlates with conscious perception
• Cross-frequency coupling between slower and faster oscillations tracks consciousness levels

GRT Implications

Evolutionary Perspectives. What Hunt and Schooler call “GRT 2.0” embeds consciousness in evolutionary history through a four-stage evolutionary framework that traces resonant field computation from primordial bioelectric networks to advanced cognition. The Ephaptics with Myelination and Neuromodulation Principle explains how mixed myelination and neuromodulation evolved to balance rapid transmission with field-based integration in cognition and consciousness (Hunt and Schooler, forthcoming).

Quantitative Measures. Hunt et al. developed what they call a "consciousness-ometer" framework for quantifying the presence and complexity of consciousness, based on various “measurable correlates of consciousness.” This includes measurable correlates across neural, behavioral, and creative dimensions. GRT predicts specific relationships between resonance bandwidth and consciousness richness that Hunt says can be empirically tested (Hunt et al. (2022).

Clinical Applications. Understanding resonance-based consciousness could transform treatment for disorders of consciousness. By identifying disrupted resonance patterns in conditions like coma, vegetative states, or anesthesia, clinicians could develop targeted interventions to restore conscious awareness. GRT's quantitative framework provides objective measures for assessing consciousness levels.

Artificial Consciousness. Hunt says that GRT extends beyond biological systems, suggesting that artificial systems achieving appropriate resonant electromagnetic field dynamics would exhibit consciousness. Unlike computational theories requiring specific algorithms, GRT suggests consciousness could emerge naturally from electromagnetic field dynamics in sufficiently complex artificial systems. This would have profound implications for AI development and ethics.

Inter-Organ Consciousness. In further speculation, ongoing research at UCSB’s the METALAB examines inter-organ electric field synchrony, exploring whether consciousness extends beyond brain-centered fields to encompass body-wide dynamics. This could explain phenomena like "gut feelings" and the documented effects of heart-brain coherence on cognitive performance.

Critiques and Responses

Empirical Distinguishability. How can we empirically distinguish conscious from non-conscious electromagnetic field dynamics? Hunt offers mathematical frameworks for calculating consciousness boundaries based on resonance frequencies and propagation velocities. He says the theory makes specific, testable predictions about field coherence patterns that should correlate with reported conscious states (Hunt, 2020).

Panpsychist Commitments. Most scientists would resist GRT's panpsychist foundations. Hunt and Schooler argue that this resistance stems from misconceptions about panpsychism. GRT doesn't claim electrons have human-like experiences—merely that experience in its most rudimentary form is a fundamental feature of reality, no more mysterious than mass or charge. (However, even if most scientists would have their misconceptions about panpsychism cleared up, as it were, it wouldn’t much change their minds rejecting panpsychism.)

Future Directions. According to Hunt, current research focuses on mapping the "resonome"—cataloging specific field patterns associated with particular conscious states. Advanced neuroimaging techniques combining high temporal and spatial resolution could reveal the nested hierarchies of resonating fields GRT predicts.

Technological Applications. Understanding field-based consciousness could enable brain-computer interfaces that directly interface with conscious experience rather than merely reading neural activity. Therapeutic devices could restore healthy resonance patterns disrupted by neurological conditions.

Conclusion and Implications

According to Hunt and Schooler, General Resonance Theory identifies consciousness with resonating electromagnetic fields, thereby providing mechanistic explanations for binding, combination, and the unity of experience, while making specific empirical predictions. The authors claim that the theory's strength lies in its ability to bridge explanatory gaps that have long divided consciousness studies. It offers panpsychists a scientific mechanism for combination, provides neuroscientists a physical substrate for binding, and gives physicists a role for fundamental experience in nature.

As Hunt notes, consciousness may be evolution's solution to information integration challenges spanning four billion years from bioelectric codes to human cognition. Understanding these resonance mechanisms could be key to both explaining consciousness and developing technologies that interface with, enhance, or even create new forms of conscious experience. Moreover, GRT suggests consciousness pervades nature at all scales, though usually in extremely simple forms. This view could transform our ethical relationship with the natural world, recognizing degrees of experience throughout the biosphere and potentially beyond.

References

Primary GRT Publications

Hunt, T. (2011). Kicking the psychophysical laws into gear: A new approach to the combination problem. Journal of Consciousness Studies, 18(11-12), 96-134.

Hunt, T. (2014). Eco, Ego, Eros: Essays in Philosophy, Spirituality and Science. Santa Barbara: Aramis Press.

Hunt, T. (2018). The hippies were right: It's all about vibrations, man! Scientific American (Blog), December 5, 2018.

Hunt, T. (2020). Calculating the boundaries of consciousness in General Resonance Theory. Journal of Consciousness Studies, 27(11-12), 55-80.

Hunt, T. (2021). The easy part of the hard problem: A boundary principle for consciousness. Philosophy Compass, 16(5), e12734.

Hunt, T. & Schooler, J.W. (2019). The easy part of the hard problem: A resonance theory of consciousness. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 13, 378.

Hunt, T., Ericson, M., & Schooler, J.W. (2022). Where's my consciousness-ometer? How to test for the presence and complexity of consciousness. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 17(6), 1708-1723.

Hunt, T. & Jones, M. (2023). Fields or firings? Comparing the spike code and the electromagnetic field hypothesis. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, 1029715.

Hunt, T. (Ed.) (2023). Special Issue: Electromagnetic Field Theories of Consciousness: Opportunities and Obstacles. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience.

Jones, M. & Hunt, T. (2023). Electromagnetic-field theories of qualia: Can they improve upon standard neuroscience? Frontiers in Psychology, 14, 1015967.

Schooler, J.W., Hunt, T., & Schooler, J.N. (2011). Reconsidering the metaphysics of science from the inside out. In H. Walach, S. Schmidt, & W. Jonas (Eds.), Neuroscience, Consciousness and Spirituality (pp. 157-194). Springer.

Young A, Hunt T and Ericson M (2022) The Slowest Shared Resonance: A Review of Electromagnetic Field Oscillations Between Central and Peripheral Nervous Systems. Front. Hum. Neurosci. 15:796455. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2021.796455

Supporting Literature

Anastassiou, C.A., Perin, R., Markram, H., & Koch, C. (2011). Ephaptic coupling of cortical neurons. Nature Neuroscience, 14(2), 217-223.

Chiang, C.C., Shivacharan, R.S., Wei, X., Gonzalez-Reyes, L.E., & Durand, D.M. (2019). Slow periodic activity in the longitudinal hippocampal slice can self-propagate non-synaptically by a mechanism consistent with ephaptic coupling. Journal of Physiology, 597(1), 249-269.

Fields, R.D. (2020). Electric Brain: How the New Science of Brainwaves Reads Minds, Tells Us How We Learn, and Helps Us Change for the Better. BenBella Books.

McFadden, J. (2002). The conscious electromagnetic information (CEMI) field theory. Journal of Consciousness Studies, 9(8), 45-60.

McIver, B. (2023). Consciousness and inward electromagnetic field interactions. Neuroscience of Consciousness, 2023(1), niad003.

Pockett, S. (2000). The Nature of Consciousness: A Hypothesis. Writers Club Press.

Whitehead, A.N. (1929). Process and Reality. Macmillan.

This entry was prepared in collaboration with Tam Hunt, September 2025.