Qualia Research Institute aims to develop a
mathematical formalization of consciousness. This is motivated by the premises of
qualia formalism, which asserts that subjective human experiences correspond to
mathematical structures, as well as
valence realism, which asserts that conscious experience can be measured objectively. These premises form the foundation of the Symmetry Theory of Valence, proposed by Michael Johnson in collaboration with researchers at QRI. The Symmetry Theory of Valence states that valence (or the subjective feeling associated with a particular state of consciousness) is dependent on the symmetry of the mathematical object that describes it. Two contrasting views in the phenomenology of valence are that of a constrained valence psychology, where the most intense experiences are generally no more than 10 times more intense than the mildest, and the heavy-tailed valence hypothesis, which states that the range of possible degrees of valence is far more extreme. QRI has published research in support of the heavy-tailed valence hypothesis. QRI's work also includes the creation of web tools that replicate the effects of "
tracers" that are seen while under the influence of psychedelics, as well as guides for writing reports on conscious experiences induced by psychedelics. QRI aims to explore the largely understudied psychedelic compound
DMT. == Psychedelic Cryptography contest ==