Abstract

Understanding consciousness and agency, particularly regarding free will, remains a significant challenge. This paper introduces the Attention-Agency Theory (AAT), a novel framework designed to integrate these phenomena. AAT posits Universal Attention (UA) as a fundamental property and Attentional Copies (ACs) as the core mechanism generating both subjective experience and agentic control. By directly linking attentional dynamics to the causal efficacy of an agent, the theory aims to bridge the explanatory gap between physical processes, phenomenal awareness, and purposeful action. Drawing on interdisciplinary insights from philosophy, cognitive science, and physics, AAT offers a new perspective on the nature of agency and its relation to conscious states. It explores potential compatibilist solutions to the free will problem and suggests connections to other frameworks like the Free Energy Principle via attentional mechanisms. AAT provides a structured, though theoretical, foundation for future investigation into the mind's active role.