How would that probabilistic model be applied to consciousness? Genuinely curious here. As far as I can tell, the definition of consciousness that Chalmers and others use doesn't seem to have measurable aspects.
The reason that I brought up Chalmers is that he, and others, will say that physical states don't map to subjective consciousness or qualia. Don't get me wrong, I'm much more of a "physicalist" in this regard. I'm not trained and I don't work in the field, but I can't help but think that humans overestimate the complexity and capabilities of consciousness. I think that there is a brain and, like you say, there is some function of it that results in consciousness. I think that we end up with a problem of definitions because the thing that Chalmers et al are describing, I think, doesn't exist. BUT if we are talking about the thing that Chalmers an co are talking about, then no...I don't see a way that you get to qualia and consciousness from protein.
I'm kind of rambling. Sorry, it this isn't very coherent.
Local minima'maxima and the unyeildy nature of large numbers of nuerons are both currently being dealt with utilising probabilistic methods
the mind functions on electrical signals and should be able to be understood through modeling
This is the case regardless of where you stand on dualism