Reframes the AI consciousness debate. Introduces proto‑awareness, the 4C test, and the boundary zone, showing why gradient thinking leads to better governance than metaphysical fights over "conscious or not."

How the Gradient Reality Model (GRM) treats consciousness as a measurable spectrum, not a binary. Introduces proto‑awareness, the 4C test (Competence, Cost, Coherence, Constraint‑responsiveness), and the boundary zone. Written for engineers, architects, and AI governance professionals.