How Important is Emotional Reasoning?

 

Neuroscience has made significant progress in understanding the brain, but the nature of consciousness still needs to be discovered. At the same time, recent spectacular advancements in artificial intelligence promise the prospect of machines attaining human-like cognitive abilities. At the center of both systems is a fundamental dance of stimuli and response, requiring a profound comprehension of the physical environment. Thus, quantum mechanics and general relativity can be applied to the mysteries of human behavior, such as the difficulty of predicting, controlling, or retracing our thoughts. This landmark book explores the nature of consciousness through the lens of physics rather than neuroscience.

Physics has been an explanatory force in diverse phenomena, and it can offer an entirely new vision of consciousness as an irreducible entity, similar to particles, the fundamental units of energy or matter. The fermionic mind hypothesis emerges as a tour-de-force synthesis and framework for understanding consciousness, reimagined as the elemental unit of intellect. It highlights particle organization, a fundamental structure that cannot be understood as the sum of its parts, as the essential analogy between fermions and consciousness.

The book presents an engaging scientific narrative that explores some of humanity's oldest and most challenging questions. What is consciousness? What are emotions? How can a physical brain create a subjective experience? Do we have free will? Engaging and penetrating, Emotional Reasoning represents a groundbreaking perspective that will surprise you at every turn. It will enhance your confidence through understanding yourself and your place in the cosmic order. Beyond neuroscience, the book holds profound implications for artificial intelligence research. It reveals the intricate link between consciousness and the physical universe, echoing the philosophical insight of theoretical physicist John Wheeler: "The physical world is, in some deep sense, tied to the human being."

The book Emotional Reasoning: Insight into the Conscious Experience is published on August 30, 2024. 

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Copyright © 2024 by Eva Deli

The Fermionic Mind Hypothesis, a novel consciousness theory

 

Consciousness is integral to human individuality and social existence and is a cornerstone of our remarkable technological, social, and cultural progress. The pursuit of understanding consciousness goes beyond everyday science and philosophy to the very essence and nature of reality.

Exploring consciousness is a journey that transcends epochs and cultures, starting from mystical, spiritual, or religious significance. Descartes' idea of dualism posited that the mind and body were distinct. However, significant advancements in neuroscience, such as brain imaging and empirical science, have connected the manifestations of consciousness to certain brain activations, with the global workspace and integrated information theory (IIT) dominating the conversation. Although intriguing, the theories fall short of offering a satisfactory model of consciousness.

As we strive to imbue artificial systems with consciousness-like capabilities, the nature of consciousness becomes an increasingly urgent question. While there are significant differences between the topological architecture of large language models (LLMs) and the neurobiological details of circuits empirically linked to consciousness in mammals, the possibility that future LLMs may achieve consciousness motivates us to turn to physics for a common thread between these artificial and biological-based intellects. 

The Fermionic Mind Hypothesis (FMH) is a novel consciousness theory. FMH synthesizes the insights of existing interdisciplinary approaches, encompassing neuroscience, psychology, philosophy, computer science, and even quantum physics, into a physical consciousness model. A model of consciousness as a particle can clarify various characteristics of consciousness, including the subjective feeling of separation, the role of observer, and the challenge of managing our thoughts and emotions. Moreover, the contrast between constant self-identity and probabilistic perception resembles wave-particle duality in quantum mechanics. 

The principles governing the smallest building blocks of matter, fermions, are mirrored in the workings of the mind. Perception is a reverse thermodynamic cycle that drives cognitive change by altering synaptic complexity. ​The direction of the cognitive cycle represents intrinsic motivation and is analogous to spin.​ Reversing the cycle creates an exothermic process that dissipates energy and degrades intellect. ​The fermionic organization provides emotions with a powerful action-producing capacity analogous to the elemental forces in physics. 

The hypothesis is an elegant and testable framework with profound implications for philosophy and social policy. Understanding the nature of consciousness could offer insights into mental and neurological disorders and would impact our ability to define animal consciousness in neuroscience and medicine. It would help us create AI systems with more human-like intelligence, empathy, decision-making abilities, and sentience. It could hint at why consciousness evolved, what it means for our existence, the nature of reality, and our place in the universe. It can shed light on spiritual experiences and transcendence and demonstrate that consciousness is a fundamental building block of nature woven into the fabric of reality. 

The book Emotional Reasoning: Insight into the Conscious Experience is published on August 30, 2024. 

Order:

Barnes & Noble

Amazon Books

From the Publisher

Copyright © 2024 by Eva Deli

Should we worry about the changes brought about by AI?

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At the time when writing was primarily reserved for official and religious documents, philosophers polished their craft through meticulous oral arguments. The advent of papyrus expanded access to recorded knowledge, which raised concerns for Plato: "For this invention will produce forgetfulness in the minds of those who learn to use it because they will not practice their memory. Their trust in writing, produced by external characters which are no part of themselves, will discourage the use of their own memory within them." Plato feared that writing would supplant memorization, potentially leading to intellectual decline. Plato was right that writing made memorization of long passages redundant, but it preserved ancient knowledge, among them Plato's ideas.  

For a thousand years after Plato, writing remained the exclusive privilege of the aristocracy, priests, and clergy until Gutenberg invented the printing press. This marked a significant turning point in history, democratizing access to written knowledge and creating a demand for literacy. The widespread availability of the Bible fostered a new sense of brotherhood, equality, and human dignity, as expressed in the New Testament.

With the emergence of AI, we stand at the brink of another transformative era, with the potential to reshape society just as profoundly as the writing or the printing press did. AI offers myriad ways to expedite technological evolution, including task automation, data analysis, predictive modeling, revolutionary advancements in healthcare and drug discovery, optimization of manufacturing and supply chains, natural language processing, idea generation, simulation creation, and personalized user experiences on a global scale. 

On a personal level, the AI revolution promises to significantly increase our free time. How we use this opportunity to determine the future of society. My upcoming book, Emotional Reasoning: Insight into the Conscious Experience, discusses the nature of consciousness and other fascinating questions about human behavior and the anticipation of artificial consciousness. 

The book is slated for publication by CRC publisher in August of 2024.

Copyright © 2024 by Eva Deli

Emotional Reasoning: Insight into the Conscious Experience

Beginning with Pauli, exploring the physical world has inspired many physicists to contemplate the mind as a physical entity. Inversely, a broad range of scientific disciplines, including psychology and neuroscience, turned to physics for a deeper understanding.

Adept response to stimuli requires a profound grasp of the physical world's organizational principles and governing laws. Our intrinsic intuition facilitates our adaptation to the environment, enabling thinking and behavior. The operational structure observed in the physical world is also part of our psychology.

In a thought-provoking journey, Emotional Reasoning pushes the boundaries of understanding the mind and emotions. The author turns to physics to formulate a new vision of consciousness as an irreducible entity (similar to particles, the fundamental units of energy or matter). The fermionic mind hypothesis emerges as a tour-de-force synthesis and framework of consciousness, the elemental unit of intellect. It highlights particle organization, a fundamental structure that cannot be understood as the sum of its parts, to be the essential analogy between fermions and consciousness. 

Engaging and penetrating, Emotional Reasoning represents a groundbreaking perspective that will surprise you at every turn. It will enhance your confidence through understanding yourself and your place in the cosmic order. Beyond neuroscience, the book holds profound implications for artificial intelligence research. It reveals the intricate link between consciousness and the physical universe, echoing the philosophical insight of John Wheeler. "The physical world is, in some deep sense, tied to the human being." 

The publication date for Emotional Reasoning; Insight into the Conscious Experience is August 30, 2024. 

Order:

Barnes & Noble

Amazon Books

From the Publisher

Copyright © 2024 by Eva Deli

The Shifting Dynamics of Gender Power: Does it threaten male dominance?

 

Recent high-profile sexual abuse cases have brought issues of power, gender dynamics, and societal transformations to the forefront. For example, E. Jean Carroll filed and won a lawsuit against Donald Trump for sexual assault. In another similar case, Prince Andrew reached a settlement that included a "substantial donation" to a charity led by Virginia Giuffre, the alleged victim. Other downfalls of powerful men due to sexual accusations exemplify a significant cultural shift.

The #MeToo movement, born out of the widespread revelation of sexual misconduct allegations across various industries, gave voice to survivors and challenged entrenched power structures. This movement has empowered women beyond mere abuse and harassment to challenge traditional gender roles and gain a more significant role in every facet of society.

Nevertheless, the fear of false accusations and the potential misuse of claims of sexual harassment have led to apprehension among some men. Women's empowerment also threatens traditional gender roles. The gradual disappearance of the domineering male role has triggered anxiety, highlighting the complexity of navigating a cultural transformation that challenges long-standing norms and power structures. 

In the past, the lack of a social net made individual welfare and often survival dependent on the family, making the traditional family structure and unity crucial. Due to their greater strength, men took on roles perceived as external and protective. At the same time, women, due to the biology of childbirth and nursing, assumed nurturing and caregiving responsibilities. Wars and outside conflicts reinforced the division of responsibilities. The male inheritance of property, titles, and wealth sealed the inferior role of women in society. 

The twenty-first century has witnessed significant social transformations, including the global spread of democracy, increasing women's participation in the workforce, and a sexual revolution. Women's contributions are increasingly necessary in the economy. These monumental changes occurred parallel with a decline in total testosterone levels among men. Science cannot account for the cause of this significant change. Our more democratic social environment at work and home may be behind this hormonal change. Greater participation for men in child-rearing and housework, on the one hand, and uninhibited professional career opportunities for women, on the other hand, transform interpersonal relationships and power structures.

As we navigate this era of change, fostering open dialogue and promoting understanding is essential to build an inclusive and respectful society for both sexes. 

Picture credit: E. Jean Carroll by Julieannes MO, via Wikimedia 

Copyright © 2024 by Eva Deli