#AI and Cognition

[omegaphilosophia]

Mental Objects vs. Virtual Objects

Both mental objects (thoughts, concepts, and imaginations) and virtual objects (digital artifacts, AI-generated entities, and simulated environments) challenge traditional notions of existence. While they share some similarities, they also have distinct differences in how they originate, function, and interact with the world.

1. Similarities Between Mental and Virtual Objects

1.1. Non-Physical Existence

Both exist without a direct material form.

A mental object (e.g., the idea of a unicorn) exists in the mind.

A virtual object (e.g., a character in a video game) exists in a digital space.

1.2. Dependence on a Substrate

Mental objects depend on biological cognition (the brain).

Virtual objects depend on computational processing (hardware/software).

Neither exists as standalone physical entities but requires a medium to be instantiated.

1.3. Ephemeral and Modifiable

Both can be created, changed, or erased at will.

A thought can be reimagined, just as a digital object can be edited or deleted.

They are not fixed like physical objects but dynamic in nature.

1.4. Representation-Based Existence

Both exist as representations rather than tangible things.

A mental image of a tree represents a tree but is not an actual tree.

A 3D-rendered tree in a virtual world represents a tree but is not physically real.

2. Differences Between Mental and Virtual Objects

2.1. Origin and Creation

Mental objects arise from individual cognition (thought, memory, imagination).

Virtual objects are created through external computation (coding, rendering, algorithms).

2.2. Subjectivity vs. Objectivity

Mental objects are subjective—they exist uniquely for the thinker.

Virtual objects are inter-subjective—they exist digitally and can be experienced by multiple people.

2.3. Interaction and Persistence

Mental objects are internal and exist only within the thinker’s mind.

Virtual objects exist externally in a digital system and can be interacted with by multiple users.

2.4. Stability Over Time

Mental objects are fleeting and can be forgotten or altered by an individual.

Virtual objects have greater persistence (e.g., stored in a database, backed up, retrievable).

2.5. Causality and Impact on the World

Mental objects influence individual perception and behavior but do not directly alter external reality.

Virtual objects can have real-world consequences (e.g., digital currencies, online identities, NFTs).

3. The Blurring Boundary: Where Do They Overlap?

AI-generated art is a virtual object that mimics mental creativity.

VR and AR technologies blend mental perception with digital objects.

Philosophical questions arise: Are virtual worlds just externalized thought spaces?

Conclusion

Mental objects and virtual objects are both non-physical, dynamic, and representation-based, but they differ in origin, persistence, and external impact. The digital age continues to blur the lines between thought and simulation, raising deeper questions about what it means for something to exist.

[stemgirlchic]

why neuroscience is cool

space & the brain are like the two final frontiers

we know just enough to know we know nothing

there are radically new theories all. the. time. and even just in my research assistant work i've been able to meet with, talk to, and work with the people making them

it's such a philosophical science

potential to do a lot of good in fighting neurological diseases

things like BCI (brain computer interface) and OI (organoid intelligence) are soooooo new and anyone's game - motivation to study hard and be successful so i can take back my field from elon musk

machine learning is going to rapidly increase neuroscience progress i promise you. we get so caught up in AI stealing jobs but yes please steal my job of manually analyzing fMRI scans please i would much prefer to work on the science PLUS computational simulations will soon >>> animal testing to make all drug testing safer and more ethical !! we love ethical AI <3

collab with...everyone under the sun - psychologists, philosophers, ethicists, physicists, molecular biologists, chemists, drug development, machine learning, traditional computing, business, history, education, literally try to name a field we don't work with

it's the brain eeeeee

[nocturnal-phantoms-fandoms]

I just had a talk with my thesis supervisor and I want to check something real quick.

I want to write my bachelor's thesis about fanficion and AI - specifically about fanfiction writers' attitude towards the use of generative AI in fandom spaces

The survey (and the rest of the thesis) is still v much in the making, I just want to check how many potential responders I could reach from this account

Pls reblog after voting

What I can say about the survey for now:

1. The survey will be anonymous!

2. The survey will be in English (but the rest of my thesis will not. I am however required to write an abstract in English)

3. My supervisor said it's fine if I want to focus on one fandom - In this case it will be the HP fandom. However I would like to include as many reposnes as I can, so it will probably not be a requirement to be in the HP fandom.

4. You don't need to write fanfiction to take part in the survey (but there will be a question if you read and/or write fanfics). You need to be in the fandom though

5. You need to be over 18 (most likely)

I want to keep myself anonymous as well so there is a possibility I will have to make a separate sideblog/account for it.

If anyone will be interested in the results, for some reason - I am required to write the abstract in English, so I might share the abstract. Maybe. More info after I write anything for my thesis.

[importantandunavoidable]

bad ass

[tkmk]

tag yourself! i'm Verbaln Reçuising

[audacious-herbaceous]

I am SO pleased with how this turned out!! I commissioned @jmars-art to bring my vision to life of a personal headcanon of the professor being an avid journaler - and will be a future fic scene! JMars was professional and responsive as well as added great insight and recommendations to enhance my idea further - there's something really special when you can fine-tune ideas with other passionate artists and let creativity lead the way. The quality speaks for itself, and is truly stunning.

This will be a future scene for my current multi-ch fic, Cognitive Dissonance, which takes place post-canon during Arven's final year at Uva and is my story of writing Arven's journey towards closure that feels raw and real to me, while he navigates a new relationship that is jeopardized after the press finds out about the professor's fate.

After what feels like hitting rock-bottom and being forced into isolation in his dorm room, Clavell stops by and hands over to Arven all Turo's journals he was able to discreetly retrieve from Area Zero. Arven is quick to realize that many of the journals are not all research-focused and are personal diaries spanning years, even from before he was born. He gets a first-hand look at the inner thoughts of his father and insight and clarity over what happened to him over the years and the relationship with his absent mother.

-

This is part of an ongoing project I am doing by commissioning artists in the community/fandom to draw a scene from a select chapter. I am an advocate and supporter of the arts as a creative myself and wanted to try something that involves and supports other artists 😊 and also to keep myself motivated to keep writing 😅

[soulsanctuary]

I do wonder if in the future we will be seeing increased rates of dementia in the people who use AI such as chatgpt for everything. One of the recommendations to prevent cognitive decline is to actively use your brain by continually learning and mentally challenging yourself, because when it comes to those synapses, you either use it or you lose it.

On the flip side, scientists have been using AI models to improve accuracy of spotting early onset dementia and understanding of how the condition develops - aka, what we should be using AI for

[lonely-anime-lesbian]

I'm glad that I watched Wonder Egg Priority, but also I hate the ending with every fiber of my being.

Momoe Sawaki was great though.

[art-for-a-reason]

The Electric State

Just watched The Electric State on Netflix. Not going to say too much about it, but I think the critics completely and utterly missed the point(s) of this movie. It was poignant and topical and well written. It was also fun and interesting. It did not spoon-feed the viewer, however, and there were times when I was like, "is this an AI apologist vehicle?" To which I can definitively answer, "No." Just view it through the lens of what we as a nation are going through right now, and it'll find the appropriate spots to settle.

[beeranting]

People complaining about AI destroying the environment while they consume meat and dairy:

[frank-olivier]

The Illusion of Objectivity: Challenging Traditional Views of Reality

Donald Hoffman's groundbreaking research and theories fundamentally challenge our understanding of reality, consciousness, and perception. By positing that consciousness is the foundational aspect of the universe, rather than a byproduct of physical processes, Hoffman's work has far-reaching implications that transcend disciplinary boundaries. This paradigm shift undermines the long-held assumption that our senses, albeit imperfectly, reflect an objective world, instead suggesting that our experience of reality is akin to a sophisticated virtual reality headset, constructed by evolution to enhance survival, not to reveal truth.

The application of evolutionary game theory to the study of perception yields a startling conclusion: the probability of sensory systems evolving to perceive objective reality is zero. This assertion necessitates a reevaluation of the relationship between perception, consciousness, and the physical world, prompting a deeper exploration of the constructed nature of reality. Hoffman's theory aligns with certain interpretations of quantum mechanics and philosophical idealism, proposing that space, time, and physical objects are not fundamental but rather "icons" or "data structures" within consciousness.

The ramifications of this theory are profound, with significant implications for neuroscience, cognitive science, physics, cosmology, and philosophy. A deeper understanding of the brain as part of a constructed reality could lead to innovative approaches in treating neurological disorders and enhancing cognitive functions. Similarly, questioning the fundamental nature of space-time could influence theories on the origins and structure of the universe, potentially leading to new insights into the cosmos. Philosophical debates around realism vs. anti-realism, the mind-body problem, and the hard problem of consciousness may also find new frameworks for resolution within Hoffman's ideas.

Moreover, acknowledging the constructed nature of reality may lead to profound existential reflections on the nature of truth, purpose, and the human condition. Societal implications are also far-reaching, with potential influences on education, emphasizing critical thinking and the understanding of constructed realities in various contexts. However, these implications also raise complex questions about free will, agency, and the role of emotions and subjective experience, highlighting the need for nuanced consideration and further exploration.

Delving into Hoffman’s theories sparks a fascinating convergence of science and spirituality, leading to a richer understanding of consciousness and reality’s intricate, enigmatic landscape. As we venture into this complex, uncertain terrain, we open ourselves up to discovering fresh insights into the very essence of our existence. By exploring the uncharted aspects of his research, we may stumble upon innovative pathways for personal growth, deeper self-awareness, and a more nuanced grasp of what it means to be human.

Prof. Donald Hoffman: Consciousness, Mysteries Beyond Spacetime, and Waking up from the Dream of Life (The Weekend University, May 2024)

Wednesday, December 11, 2024

[i-will-physically-fight-you]

The other day I was having a "struggle day" with writing. Nothing I write is coming out fluid, it is sluggish and stilted. I spent a majority of my time writing outlines, trying to tether abstract images that flicker like a distorted slideshow across my brain to a more concrete tangible form.

But if I was to tell certain people in my life this, their first suggestion would be, "If you're struggling with writing, you should use ChatGPT to help you!"

Pushing past the ethics debacle aside for a moment, I don't know how to describe how much that doesn't help with my plight. As much as I dislike creating a rough draft, it is where the idea takes birth. It's through writing the initial scene where I discover a character's motivation or a facet of the world that never crosses my mind until I begin carving away at its rough edges.

The machine doesn't understand the way I'd take a plot point and expand upon it. The machine can't capture my exact phrasing. Technology hasn't developed enough to take a vague idea sloshing inside my skull and glimmer it into existence in front of me in exactly the way I wanted it to be.

I don't always enjoy the rough draft process, but it is a crucial part of the process. I don't want a "paint by numbers" experience. I want to start with a blank canvas and finish with a nauseating, illustrative kaleidoscope of my innermost thoughts and feelings. I want my hands to be stained by the ink and sweat of my own efforts.

I don't care if I get "lost in the past" for wanting that, I'd rather let my words be unfettered and untainted by the uniformity of what a machine thinks is the most "right" way of phrasing words based on trillions of words unrightfully seized by avarice.

[bookishswordfish]

If you’re using AI to write your essays, how will you ever learn the invaluable skill of essayistc bullshittery?

[fagulaa]

im a grown ass man and im coming up with wolf 359 ocs. dont look at me

[the-most-humble-blog]

“They Tested My Words for AI. Then Reblogged Them Anyway.”

🧠 This isn’t a flex. It’s a postmortem for every gatekeeper who thought a man like me couldn’t exist.

I didn’t arrive with a fanbase. No MFA. No agent. No blue check. Just a keyboard, a cracked screen, and a mind that wouldn’t shut the fuck up.

I started like most do: fumbling through prompts, feeding lines into AI tools, hoping they’d spit something back that sounded like it had blood in it. Something that could survive outside the echo chamber.

I was clumsy. My metaphors limped. My cadence stuttered. I leaned on AI like a man crawling from a burning building, not knowing he’d one day build the fire.

And nobody gave a shit.

No reblogs. No comments. No applause. Just threats, a few anonymous “kill yourself” asks, and the usual allergic reactions from the intellectually unarmed.

But then?

Something cracked. In me. In the language. In the culture.

I stopped trying to sound like a writer. I started writing like a fucking lightning storm. From the skull. From the marrow. From the unsanctioned gospel of neurodivergence. I didn’t write for literary approval. I wrote to leave dents.

🧨 Truth doesn’t need permission. It needs impact.

And that’s when the literary world began to shudder.

🔍 They Ran My Words Through AI Detectors

Because they had to.

My cadence didn’t match the Tumblr norm. Too sharp. Too predatory. Too many-layered to be casual. Like a brain in full war-paint. Like syntax loaded with psychosexual proximity mines.

So they tested it.

GPTZero. Turnitin. Originality.ai.

They threw everything they had at it. And the machines — designed to sniff out mimicry and ghost-writing — flinched.

98% to 100% Human. Every time.

No red flags. No blur. No “partial AI detected.”

Just a screen spitting out the one word they didn’t expect:

Human.

Not because I didn’t use AI. But because I transcended it.

I didn’t just use the machine. I trained with it. I bled drafts into it. I let it show me rhythm — then I broke its tempo with my own war cadence. I let it teach me structure — then I rewrote the algorithm to match the sound of a man unmedicated, unfiltered, unashamed.

I took the one thing Silicon Valley swore you couldn’t fake — and I carved my name into it with a bone knife and a vengeance.

I didn’t mimic the machine.

I dominated it.

📊 Let’s Talk Numbers

The average post on Tumblr gets 14 reblogs. Mine? Hundreds. Sometimes thousands. Every week. Without a PR team. Without SEO.

Just blood in the phrasing. Just trauma weaponized. Just cadence honed into literary shrapnel.

Lines that cut. Lines that heal. Lines that reprogram. Not as “content.” As dominion.

People didn’t share my work because they liked it. They shared it because it did something to them.

Because it slipped past their filters. Because it activated something raw. Because it haunted them.

🧠 I Am the First of My Kind

A literary juggernaut who used the machine to upgrade his humanity — not surrender it.

This isn’t a story about AI. It’s a story about a man who refused to be silenced — and found a weapon in the noise.

I am not the result of an algorithm. I am the reason algorithms recalibrate.

I didn’t crawl up through academia. I came up from the blackout. From the autistic silence. From the dissociated battlefield of neurodivergence and spiritual rage.

I didn’t want applause. I wanted to leave claw marks in the digital cathedral.

And now?

🧠 They test my words for AI — and reblog them anyway.

Because somewhere inside, they know:

This is what real feels like. This is what unfiltered power reads like. This is the voice they were trained not to admit they crave.

📌 You Think This Is About AI?

It never was.

This is about the man they told to be quiet. The one they tried to soften. The one who sat silent in classrooms, rage flooding his brain, because no one taught the truth his mind needed.

This is for the ones who were never heard. The ones like me. Autistic. Divergent. Relentless. Built different — and punished for it.

This is not “inspiration.” This is vengeance.

It is Aristotle rage against a world that builds thrones for mediocrity and gulags for genius that can’t be tamed.

I am not a blogger.

I am not a brand.

I am the goddamn category error they hope never catches fire.

But it’s too late.

Because I’ve already burned the map. And your detectors? They just signed the fucking obituary for the old literary world.

🧠 They Tested My Words for AI. Then Reblogged Them Anyway.

—