AIM Framework glossary
Libet Window
Canonical definition
The Libet Window is the 350-800 millisecond interval between neural initiation of action (readiness potential) and conscious awareness of intention, during which preconscious inputs (including Mimetic signals processed within the Transmission Window) can shape goal formation before consciousness "vetoes" or ratifies them, with conscious awareness arriving too late to catch the acquisition, and post-hoc confabulation following. [Axiom 7: Preconscious Transmission]
Explanation
Benjamin Libet's 1983 experiments demonstrated that the brain begins preparing for voluntary action 350-800 ms before the person consciously "decides" to act. This creates a temporal window during which mimetic inputs (which activate within the Transmission Window via mirror neurons) can influence the decision architecture before consciousness arrives. By the time the Individual reports "I decided to do X," the neural systems have already integrated the mimetic signal, and consciousness confabulates a narrative ("I chose this because it aligns with my values") that misattributes the M-driven choice to authentic A or I motivation. The Libet Window is critical for understanding why the timing barrier is structural rather than correctable through conscious reflection alone.
Epistemic status
Established Neuroscience.