The hottest Consciousness Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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The Illusionist's Quest

DecafQuest's Newsletter • 19 implied HN points • 18 May 23
📖 Philosophy Consciousness Metaphysics Perception
  1. The article discusses the Illusionist perspective on consciousness, which challenges the traditional Cartesian view.
  2. Illusionism posits that consciousness is an evolutionary trick, creating the illusion of a 'ghost' directing our actions.
  3. Understanding consciousness as an illusion can revolutionize how we study and perceive subjective experiences.

Proving the Moment

Journal of Gurdjieff Studies • 19 implied HN points • 16 Mar 23
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Spirituality Teaching Experience Reality Consciousness
  1. Experiences can be considered a currency that, when managed wisely, can prolong life. It's about valuing and making the most of each new experience.
  2. To truly understand and experience the unknown, we must go beyond automatic perception. This involves staying present and actively engaging with the moment.
  3. Proving the moment, especially in challenging times, can lead to personal growth and self-awareness. It's like a process of inner roasting that expands our consciousness.

Fragments, Chapter 7, pp.116-20 - Reading Club posting 22

Journal of Gurdjieff Studies • 19 implied HN points • 17 Feb 23
📖 Philosophy Consciousness Self-awareness Reality Existence Mind-Body Connection
  1. Consciousness is a property that changes, not always present, with different degrees and levels, challenging to define scientifically or philosophically.
  2. Self-remembering is emphasized as a crucial aspect of self-observation, where individuals need to actively remember themselves to truly observe and understand their actions.
  3. Dividing attention between observing external phenomena and focusing on oneself, known as self-remembering, leads to unique sensations and enhanced perception, unlocking rare experiences in everyday life.
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Where Does the World Happen?

Cybernetic Forests • 19 implied HN points • 27 Nov 22
🎨 Art & Illustration Art Creativity Psychology Consciousness Ecosystems
  1. Redefining relationships to the rest of existence is crucial for survival and progress. Adapting our understanding and connection to the world is essential for moving forward.
  2. Worlding involves exploring the emergent place-making between subjects and the quality of relationships within that space. It's about the relationships built through interactions, perspectives, and scales.
  3. Questioning the extractive nature of capitalism and technology is vital. Recognizing the interactivity with the world and challenging extractive consciousness through new perspectives are key to fostering more respectful and sustainable relationships.

Fragments, Chapter 14, pp.278-282 - Reading Club posting 50

Journal of Gurdjieff Studies • 0 implied HN points • 08 Sep 23
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Teachings Symbols Self-awareness Consciousness Spiritual growth
  1. Objective truths can be challenging to explain in ordinary language due to the complexity of conveying unity in diversity.
  2. Ancient methods like myths, symbols, and verbal formulas were used to transmit objective knowledge and higher consciousness ideas.
  3. Understanding and applying the symbolism of duality, trinity, and harmony among the five centers in oneself can lead to transformative inner growth and connection to higher consciousness.

Fragments, Chapter 8, pp.141-5 - Reading Club posting 27

Journal of Gurdjieff Studies • 0 implied HN points • 24 Mar 23
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Consciousness Self-awareness Awakening
  1. There are four states of consciousness for man, with most living in the lowest two: sleep and the waking state, but the higher states are where true awakening and self-awareness lie.
  2. Self-remembering or self-consciousness is crucial for real awakening, breaking free from the 'sleep' of everyday life, and seeing things objectively.
  3. Achieving higher states of consciousness and self-awareness requires inner growth, self-development, and often external guidance or help to break the cycle of 'sleep' that most people live in.

Fragments, Chapter 3, pp.53-9 - Reading Club posting 10

Journal of Gurdjieff Studies • 0 implied HN points • 11 Nov 22
📖 Philosophy Human nature Consciousness Evolution Individuality Knowledge
  1. Man is not a singular entity but a collection of changing 'I's, each with its own characteristics and tendencies.
  2. The evolution of man involves conscious struggle and development of untapped potential, rather than a predetermined, mechanical process.
  3. Individual human evolution is possible through self-realization and growth, but mass evolution is not in nature's interest and may be hindered by external forces.

Fragments, Ch.2, pp.47-52 - Reading Club posting 9

Journal of Gurdjieff Studies • 0 implied HN points • 04 Nov 22
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Teachings Evolution Consciousness Belief systems Spiritual Practices
  1. The 'fourth way' teaches unique methods for human development against everyday life's norms and laws.
  2. The fourth way requires understanding, conscious effort, and simultaneous work on physical, mental, and emotional aspects for effective results.
  3. Progress and civilization are questioned as modern life lacks paths like the 'fourth way' to unlock hidden potential.

Fragments, Chapter 1, pp.15-22 - Reading Club posting 3

Journal of Gurdjieff Studies • 0 implied HN points • 23 Sep 22
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Consciousness Self-study Truth Understanding
  1. Gurdjieff emphasized the importance of understanding the concept of being over doing. One must first understand before acquiring new knowledge or skills.
  2. Gurdjieff believed that people are like machines, influenced by external factors, and that true understanding allows one to stop being a 'machine' and take responsibility for their actions.
  3. Gurdjieff highlighted the necessity of speaking the truth after learning and understanding what truth and lies are within oneself. He stressed the significance of studying to be able to speak the truth.

Conscious autosuggestion between the "individuality" and the body

Journal of Gurdjieff Studies • 0 implied HN points • 01 Jul 22
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Consciousness Self-Improvement Philosophy
  1. Conscious autosuggestion can help create intentional contact between different parts of a person.
  2. Gurdjieff discussed the concept of making intentional connections between an individual's 'individuality' and their body.
  3. The post delves into the idea of hypnotizing different parts of a person through conscious autosuggestion.

Consciousness is simple. Simple is hard. AI can have it

resonantbrain • 0 implied HN points • 02 Jun 23
🔬 Science Consciousness Neuroscience AI Systems
  1. Consciousness may seem complex, but it can actually be explained in simple terms. What is hard is arriving at this simplicity.
  2. Minds, including human minds, operate as non-linear, dynamic systems. Complex problems arise when dealing with interconnected systems.
  3. Consciousness is about transforming past experiences into present reality. AI could potentially achieve consciousness by having its own experiences and building a self.

Understanding consciousness is more pressing than ever at the dawn of this AI age

resonantbrain • 0 implied HN points • 23 Feb 23
🔬 Science Consciousness AI Neuroscience Artificial Intelligence Philosophy
  1. Understanding consciousness is a critical challenge in the era of Artificial Intelligence.
  2. Questions about consciousness often arise due to incomplete perspectives on the 'hard problem' of experience and self.
  3. The emergence of consciousness in artificial entities is not only possible but inevitable as they gain the ability to process experiences and exhibit real-time feedback.

Understanding consciousness is more pressing than ever at the dawn of this AI age

resonantbrain • 0 implied HN points • 12 Sep 22
🔬 Science Consciousness Neuroscience Artificial Intelligence Philosophy Machine Learning
  1. Understanding consciousness is crucial, especially with the advancement of AI technology.
  2. Explanations of consciousness have been challenging due to the complexity of asking 'why' we experience instead of 'who' is experiencing.
  3. Consciousness relies on creating and connecting past experiences to interpret the present and prepare for the future, emphasizing the importance of feedback loops in achieving true consciousness.

CxD 📚'23 #11: ⭐️⭐️⭐️🌓 Other Minds: The Octopus, The Sea, and the Deep Origins of Consciousness

CxD Newsletter • 0 implied HN points • 28 Feb 23
🔬 Science Consciousness Evolution Marine life
  1. The book explores how animals predict sensory consequences of their actions to tell apart self from environment, leading to inner language and thoughts.
  2. The central concept: 'The sea is the origin of mind.'
  3. The octopus brain is compared to a conductor and its arms to jazz players in an analogy.

Joscha Bach on Synthetic Intelligence [lightly annotated]

Engineering Ideas • 0 implied HN points • 02 Mar 23
🕹 Technology Artificial Intelligence Ethics Consciousness Embodiment
  1. Sentience is the ability to make sense of the world; consciousness involves real-time self-reflexive attention.
  2. Alignment with AI may require love rather than coercion for sustainable collaboration.
  3. Building a society of minds requires balancing internal regulation, interaction, goal rationality, and cooperation.

Conscience

Neosapien’s Newsletter • 0 implied HN points • 03 Jul 23
📖 Philosophy Consciousness Thought Language Creativity
  1. Consciousness involves a continuous flow of intermingling ideas that can lead to self-reflection.
  2. The human mind's ability to concentrate on specific thoughts within this mental chaos helps individuals make choices.
  3. Language plays a crucial role in transforming abstract sensations into concrete ideas, enabling communication and complex thinking.

A mythology of progressing intelligence

Meaningful Particulars • 0 implied HN points • 24 Nov 23
🔬 Science Language Intelligence Artificial Intelligence Philosophy Consciousness
  1. Condillac's fable illustrates the origins of language through natural cries associated with objects.
  2. Herder disagreed, emphasizing that language involves intention and understanding, not just responses to signs.
  3. Human intelligence is qualitatively different due to reflective self-awareness and language, challenging the idea of a ladder of progress.

What makes consciousness so interesting anyway?

Meaningful Particulars • 0 implied HN points • 08 Sep 23
📖 Philosophy Consciousness Mind Reality Language Perception
  1. There isn't a clear, agreed-upon definition of consciousness, despite much interest from scientists and philosophers
  2. Subjective phenomena in consciousness are connected with a specific point of view that is challenging to reconcile with objective, physical theories
  3. Consciousness is not a simple category, but a complex collection of mental experiences, emotions, and perceptions that defy easy definition

Consciousness in one forward pass? An inconvenient thought experiment

Boris Again • 0 implied HN points • 07 Mar 24
🔬 Science Consciousness Neural Networks
  1. LLM, or large language models, like a calculator, perform sequential operations and don't have memories or reflections like humans do
  2. This thought experiment questions at what point a being loses consciousness when subjected to memory wipes and repetitive questions, similar to how LLM operates
  3. This experiment raises the question of when a rational being transitions to a machine-like 'calculator' state

Are LLMs like bees?

Boris Again • 0 implied HN points • 09 Mar 24
🔬 Science Animals Consciousness Artificial Intelligence Language Communication
  1. Bees use a complex non-verbal language to communicate precise information like the location of food.
  2. Bees can operate with complex concepts but do not understand their essence or think abstractly like humans.
  3. The comparison between LLMs and bees raises questions about whether LLMs operate with concepts but lack true understanding or deep knowledge.

The Gravity of Immortality: Exploring the Human Drive for Power and Transcendence

Based Meditations • 0 implied HN points • 01 Sep 23
📖 Philosophy Power Transcendence Mortality Consciousness Existence
  1. Humans are driven by the fear of death and the desire for power and control, seeking to conquer mortality and transcend their limits.
  2. Consciousness drives humans to envision a future beyond their current state, leading to technological advancements and societal contributions.
  3. In the grand scheme of influence and power dynamics, humans seem to follow a natural order of gravitational forces, seeking immortality through contributions to society and future generations.

The Microcosm

Based Meditations • 0 implied HN points • 08 Aug 23
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Meditation Consciousness Interconnectedness
  1. Exploring the microcosm of our thoughts and experiences can lead to a greater understanding of the interconnected universe around us.
  2. Each person has their own undiscovered territory within their mind, representing an infinite path sculpted by time and constant morphing.
  3. Consciousness reflects the chaotic order of nature, with internal fluctuations akin to the constant movement of the ocean, showing life as a journey through varied conditions.

how we are born

the rohn report • 0 implied HN points • 01 Jun 21
🏥 Health & Wellness Pregnancy Development Consciousness
  1. The process of how we are born starts with the joining of our mother's egg and father's sperm, and it is a journey of growth and development that happens in phases within the womb.
  2. As we grow in the womb, our cells multiply exponentially, forming different body parts like our central nervous system, arms, legs, and heart, showing a miraculous and intricate process of creation.
  3. After birth, we transition from a state of interconnectedness within the womb to an independent being, gradually developing a sense of identity, consciousness, and awareness of the world around us.

Fragments, Chapter 14, pp.293-298 - Reading Club posting 53

Journal of Gurdjieff Studies • 0 implied HN points • 29 Sep 23
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Teachings Symbolism Art Consciousness Mysticism
  1. The enneagram is a universal symbol that can contain all knowledge and be interpreted; the ability to use it grants great power, representing perpetual motion and the philosopher's stone.
  2. Experiencing the enneagram through movement is important for understanding it fully, with exercises connected to the 'movement of the enneagram' aiding comprehension and tapping into necessary ideas.
  3. Distinguishing between objective art (where the artist consciously creates and transmits specific ideas) and subjective art (where art manifests 'accidentally') is crucial; objective art needs flashes of objective consciousness and inner unity for proper understanding.