Does a dog have any ideas?

The “third man” objection The philosopher Martin Legros observes his dog confidently recognizing his peers, even though they sometimes look very different, and wonders if he has any ideas. Thought is often schematized by making ideas —idein (ἰδεῖν) means “to see”— abstract, ideal and general forms, like the shape of a man or a tree, … Read more

1000 brains gathered to vote, it’s you!

Cardinal principles from ‘1000 Brains’ by Jeff Hawkins: 1. Modular brain: The brain is not a monolithic entity but composed of countless modules that function independently. 2. Functional uniformity of the neocortex: The modules are the columns of the neocortex. They are versatile and deal with reasoning as well as perception or language.3. Repositories: Repositories … Read more

Temporium, the mille-feuille of subjective time

Abstract: ‘Time’ is an amalgamation of two independent concepts, dimension and passage of time. Within ‘dimension’ exist two sub-concepts, course and arrow of time; the course is the sequence of states and the arrow the idea that the sequence has a preferential direction. The passage is the very different idea that the sequence is animated, … Read more

What are the theories of consciousness surveys worth?

Beyond the appearences Reading a new survey of theories of consciousness, from a computational point of view, I am amazed by the number of a priori which, without seeming to be so, are hidden in the middle of the text. This type of work, however, strives, with meticulousness, to get rid of postulates and ambivalences … Read more

The older we get, the more time accelerate

Abstract: 3 biological clocks and a perceptual theory to explain the acceleration of the passage of time experienced with age. Enough to satisfy both the materialist and phenomenological viewpoints. But these two approaches still need to be coordinated for a complete explanation. The mind begins on a tricycle, ends on a high-speed train We all … Read more

Understanding Surimposium, the integral theory of reality

Abstract: The introduction sets the scene for a Theory of Everything (ToE): the observable, the provable, the root concepts, the limits, the author. Part 1 presents the transcendental thread, the TD principle (soliTary vs soliDary, whole vs part). From this principle is deduced the fundamental framework of reality, the complex variety, endowed with two dimensions, … Read more

Ken Wilber’s (too?) brief account of The Everything

Abstract: As Surimposium is a theory of everything presented on this site, I examine Ken Wilber’s earlier theory, which he expanded throughout his life. I separate the excellent start on Arthur Koestler’s holons, likely to win broad support, and the mystical veneer added by Wilber, which ends up erasing the initial coherence. I highlight Wilber’s … Read more

Quantum consciousness in 2024

Abstract: Quantum and conscious mysteries are brought together in the quantum theory of consciousness, where the phenomenon is attributed to the interaction between neurotransmitters and the zero-point field (ZPF). A materialist success, but a philosophical farce, since the qualitative richness of consciousness is not taken into account. A nugget, though: the theory is a simple … Read more

How do you know if an AI is conscious?

Abstract: Critical review of a reference article on consciousness in AIs, published by Patrick Butlin and Robert Long’s team on 22/08/23. Part 1 analyzes the pitfalls and resulting breaches in the study: sacralized definition of consciousness, exclusions in the chosen method, transposition of human theories to the digital, occultation of the qualitative phenomenon. Part 2: … Read more

How can we restore substance to matter?

Abstract: Given the difficulty in demonstrating the ontological reality of emergence, some authors propose to make a non-substantialist conception of it. But classical reductionist ontology is already failing to say whether there is a fundamental substance of things. It simply associates an information structure with each observable phenomenon, without justifying or contradicting the existence of … Read more