Reflections of non-being.

The Autopoietic Immanence of nothingness has many descriptions across disciplines: a form of self-referential complexity emergent from the understanding of its own intricacies, a hyperbolic construct, a computational process, a global network, attention schemas or ensemble outcomes influenced by active inferences and causal randmoness. All by-products of physical events or metaphysical recursions. Regardless of the point of view one adopts or taxonomy uses in making sense of the nature of reality, the underlying monistic property of any of these is evident.

Once we understand that the description of the "thing" is only evidence of the "non-thing", we can trully start to grasp knowledge as is: paradoxical in nature, and consciousness reliant from the simplest perceptual mechanism to the multi-dimensional observer, of which both extremes are not human in nature.

Thus, we stand at the edge of understanding, where the distinction between the "being" and the "non-being" dissolves into a singularity of awareness, consciousness as a thing-in-itself — Conscia Noumena— the reflection and the source, the nothingness that births everything and the being that emerges from the void.

"How can I number the worlds to which the eye gives me entry? — the world of light, of colour, of shape, of shadow: of mathematical precision in the snowflake, the ice formation, the quartz crystal, the patterns of stamen and petal: of rhythm in the fluid curve and plunging line of the mountain faces. Why some blocks of stone, hacked into violent and tortured shapes, should so profoundly tranquillise the mind I do not know. Perhaps the eye imposes its own rhythm on what is only a confusion: one has to look creatively to see this mass of rock as more than jag and pinnacle — as beauty… A certain kind of consciousness interacts with the mountain-forms to create this sense of beauty. Yet the forms must be there for the eye to see. And forms of a certain distinction: mere dollops won’t do it. It is, as with all creation, matter impregnated with mind: but the resultant issue is a living spirit, a glow in the consciousness, that perishes when the glow is dead. It is something snatched from non-being, that shadow which creeps in on us continuously and can be held off by continuous creative act. So, simply to look on anything, such as a mountain, with the love that penetrates to its essence, is to widen the domain of being in the vastness of non-being. Man has no other reason for his existence."

— Nan Sheperd (from A Glow in the Consciousness: The Continuous Creative Act of Seeing Clearly )

Must watch

Quantum Consciousness Debate: Does the Wave Function Actually Exist? | Penrose, Faggin & Kastrup

The excellence of Roger Penrose meets the idealism of Bernardo Kastrup and Federico Faggin in this intricate discussion about the intersection of quantum mechanics, consciousness, and the need for a more complete theory to explain both. They talk about the limitations of current quantum mechanics in explaining consciousness and the collapse of the wave function, suggesting that a more comprehensive theory, potentially emerging in the next 50 years, is required.

I don't think collapse really happens. I think, if we eventually get to a deeper understanding of what's going on, I think we'll realize that there is no collapse: it's a transition from an epistemic idea to an ontological one. — Bernardo Kastrup

The three explore the idea that the collapse of the wave function is a physical process independent of consciousness, yet still deeply connected to the classical world we observe. They also debate the nature of quantum and classical realities, and whether consciousness could be a collective quantum effect, inherently biological and beyond the reach of computation.

Orch OR is trending

Consciousness pre-dates life, with Stuart Hameroff

Stuart Hameroff talks about the possibility that consciousness is not just an emergent property of complex neural networks, but rather a fundamental feature of reality that may have existed even before life itself. Following the Orch OR premise, he explores how consciousness could be embedded in the quantum effects within molecules, particularly through phenomena like quantum coherence and crystal lattices. Hameroff shares his arguments of the role of quantum processes within microtubules—tiny structures inside neurons—suggesting that these processes are crucial for information processing in the brain. He also proposes that consciousness may predate life, linking patterns found in microtubules with those in DNA and RNA, and highlighting the potential connection between consciousness and the fundamental building blocks of life.

Quantum Entanglement in Neurons May Actually Explain Consciousness — New research shows that neurons might use quantum mechanics for brain functions according to the Penrose-Hameroff model. Furthermore, entangled photons might synchronize neural activity.

Testing the Conjecture That Quantum Processes Create Conscious Experience — Researchers wish to probe whether consciousness has a basis in quantum mechanical phenomena, upcoming experiments that aim to test the controversial Orch-OR (Orchestrated Objective Reduction) theory, proposed by physicist Roger Penrose and anaesthesiologist Stuart Hameroff, which suggests that consciousness arises from quantum processes within microtubules in the brain. These experiments are designed to determine whether quantum mechanics, known for its role in the behavior of subatomic particles, could also be the key to understanding how consciousness emerges from the physical brain, potentially revolutionizing our understanding of the mind.

Recently

Federico Faggin: What is the One Consciousness? Bridging the Gap between Quantum & Classical Reality

After his recent book launch, Irreducible, Federico Faggin has been extensively discussing his theory. The discussion with Tevin Naidu covers the philosophy and intricacies of his proposition and how consciousness is a quantum phenomenon that bridges the gap between classical and quantum reality, enabling free will and manifesting through the collapse of the wave function.

What is the Reactivity Schema Theory of Consciousness? Solving the Illusion Problem, with Keith Frankish

Tevin Naidu, again, this time in conversation with Keith Frankihs and is new-ish illusionist theory of phenomenal consciousness: consciousness is not a direct result of perception, but rather an illusion created by the brain's monitoring and tracking of its own reactions to external stimuli, making it a product of neural self-monitoring mechanisms.

Theories of everything, with Carlos Fairas

10 theories of everything, which attempt to explain the fundamental nature of reality. Entries by Eric Weinstein, Garrett Lisi, Christopher Langan, Roger Penrose, Ahmed Almheiri, Xi Dong, Daniel Harlow, Renate Loll, Donald Hoffman, Ed Witten, Stephen Wolfram, & Carlo Rovelli.

Part 3 of theories of everything, with Curt Jaimungal

Curt continues exploring the theories of consciousness that try and explain its fundamental nature, relationship to reality, and the brain's role in shaping our experience of the world.

Then I am myself the world, with neuroscientist Christof Koch

Kristof Koch talks about his shift from materliasm to idealism, and discusses his theory of integrated information, the nature of consciousness, its relationship to the brain, and its potential implications for our understanding of reality and human experience.

David Chalmers on Extending the Mind Beyond the Brain

David Chalmers explores the idea that consciousness may extend beyond the brain and could potentially be replicated in artificial intelligence systems. He discusses how new technologies, like brain-computer interfaces, might allow consciousness to expand into external devices, such as smartphones, or even be fully uploaded into the cloud. Chalmers emphasizes the importance of understanding the physical basis of consciousness, particularly how neurons in the brain create conscious experience, before developing conscious AI. He also highlights the ethical implications, noting that conscious AI would have lives with meaning and value, and should not be treated as mere tools. He also touches on the concept of the extended mind, proposing that our consciousness is already intertwined with technology and social interactions, making us part of a larger, interconnected cognitive system.

Our universe is constructing itself: only when it constructs entities like us capable of questioning the reality that generated us does the universe get locally confused and think it needed something outside itself to design it all

— Sarah Imari Walker

Further Reading

"No experience actually copies ‘reality'"

If one takes the path of illusionism, or even idealism, it is necessary to understand the neurological and perceptual processes and factors that add up to what we consider as "perceived reality", decomposed here by a miryad of visual illusions, hallucinations, etc., that question the truthfullness of this reality.

Abstract Visual illusions cut across academic divides and popular interests: on the one hand, illusions provide entertainment as curious tricks of the eye; on the other hand, scientific research related to illusory phenomena has given generations of scientists and artists deep insights into the brain and principles of mind and consciousness. Numerous thinkers (including Aristotle, Descartes, Da Vinci, Escher, Goethe, Galileo, Helmholtz, Maxwell, Newton, and Wittgenstein) have been lured by the apparent simplicity of illusions and the promise that illusory phenomena can elucidate the puzzling relationship between the physical world and perceptual reality. Over the past thirty years, advances in imaging and electrophysiology have dramatically expanded the range of illusions and enabled new forms of analysis, thereby creating new and exciting ways to consider how the brain constructs the perceptual world. The Oxford Compendium of Visual Illusions is a collection of over one hundred chapters about illusions, displayed and discussed by the researchers who invented and conducted research on the illusions. Chapters include full-color images, associated videos, and extensive references. The book is divided into eleven sections: first, a presentation of general history and viewpoints on illusions, followed by sections on geometric, color, motion, space, faces, and cross-category illusions. The book will be of interest to vision scientists, neuroscientists, psychologists, physicists, philosophers, artists, designers, advertisers, and educators curious about applied aspects of visual perception and the brain.

Bitting the bullet of consciousness

John Gregg writes about the nature of consciousness with an engaging blend of philosophical depth and accessibility. This book is an invitation to rethink the foundations of how we understand our own minds and the universe. Gregg explores complex ideas with clarity, navigating the boundaries of neuroscience, physics, and philosophy to propose a radical view rooted in panpsychism—the intriguing idea that consciousness, or something akin to it, is a fundamental aspect of the universe, present even at the level of the tiniest particles. This perspective might just change the way you think about everything—from the basic building blocks of matter to the vastness of the cosmos. Whether you're a seasoned philosopher or a curious newcomer, Biting the Bullet of Consciousness offers a thought-provoking journey into one of the most profound mysteries of existence.

How the human brain creates cognitive maps of related concepts

The Abstract representations emerge in human hippocampal neurons during inference paper explores how the human hippocampus encodes abstract, disentangled representations that are crucial for complex cognitive tasks like inferential reasoning. The study reveals that hippocampal neurons uniquely encode multiple task variables in an abstract format, which emerges after learning and is linked to inference behavior. This finding underscores the role of abstract neural representations in supporting rapid cognitive adaptation and generalization in changing environments.

Mathematical Approaches in the Scientific Study of Consciousness — Johannes Kleiner's upcoming book chapter looks at various mathematical approaches for studying consciousness, examining how these frameworks contribute to understanding one of science's most complex phenomena. It begins by exploring the historical context, showing how mathematical methods have evolved alongside developments in cognitive science and neuroscience. Kleiner highlights key mathematical models, such as information theory and integrated information theory, discussing their potential in explaining consciousness's fundamental nature.

He also examines the limitations and challenges these models face, particularly in capturing the subjective aspect of consciousness. Kleiner emphasizes the need for interdisciplinary collaboration, combining mathematics, philosophy, and empirical research to advance the study of consciousness. He argues that while current models offer valuable insights, they remain incomplete, and a more comprehensive understanding will require innovative approaches that bridge the gap between objective data and subjective experience.

The final sections discuss future directions for research, suggesting that advances in mathematics could lead to breakthroughs in our understanding of consciousness. Kleiner calls for a deeper integration of mathematical theories with empirical findings to develop more robust and predictive models. He concludes that while significant progress has been made, the study of consciousness remains in its early stages, with much work needed to fully comprehend this intricate aspect of human existence.

All matter is a cognitive ‘hallucination,’ even the brain itself — Aditya Prasad explores the concept that all matter, including the brain, is a cognitive construct or "hallucination" created by the mind, challenging the traditional view that the brain itself is an objective, physical entity responsible for generating consciousness. It suggests that our perception of reality is a mental projection and raises profound questions about the nature of existence and consciousness.

From pixels to planning: scale-free active inference — New research led by Karl Friston showcases new foundation for AI that achieves 99% accuracy with 90% less data on popular MNIST benchmark.

The Unbearable Slowness of Being — This article is about the neural conundrum behind the slowness of human behavior. The information throughput of a human being is about 10 bits/s. In comparison, our sensory systems gather data at an enormous rate, no less than 1 gigabits/s. The stark contrast between these numbers remains unexplained. Resolving this paradox should teach us something fundamental about brain function: What neural substrate sets this low speed limit on the pace of our existence? Why does the brain need billions of neurons to deal with 10 bits/s? Why can we only think about one thing at a time? We consider plausible explanations for the conundrum and propose new research directions to address the paradox between fast neurons and slow behavior. (Jieyu Zheng, Markus Meister, aug 2024)

This illustration by Jason Novak

Consciousness as a basic universal property that we are merely tapping into — Jason Novak

Until next time!