Adam Safron ~ Active Inference Insights 006 ~ Psychedelics, Emotions, The Body
Feb 1, 2024
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In this podcast, Adam Safron discusses psychedelics, evolution, extended minds, and the role of the body in cognitive systems. They explore the origins of psychedelic experiences, the intersection of psychedelics and active inference, and the future of psychedelic therapy. The conversation delves into consciousness, Bayesian inference, and the impact of hallucinations on beliefs.
Body serves as training system for structuring learning curricula, aiding in efficient knowledge acquisition.
Emotions and affective states guide adaptive behaviors, enhancing system efficiency and coherence.
Consciousness involves iterative state estimation through generative model of conscious feelings, emphasizing sensory inputs.
Psychedelic therapy shows promise for future mental health advancements, requiring cautious approach and innovative models.
Deep dives
The Functional Significance of Core Knowledge and Structural Learning
The body serves as a near ideal training system for structuring learning curricula to make them computationally tractable. Core knowledge loaded into the mind through the body aids in learning processes by constraining conditions for fruitful inference. This structural learning process involves evolutionarily derived priors and learned posterior probabilities, contributing to efficient knowledge acquisition and adaptive behavior.
The Role of Couplings in Cybernetic Control and System Integration
Active couplings within the system create an enslaving center manifold necessary for staying on top of action-perception cycles. The functional coherence of emotions and affective states facilitates adaptive behaviors by guiding organismic responses. The collaborative integration of sensory and motor engagements allows for nuanced control and uncertainty management, enhancing system efficiency and coherence.
Consciousness as Likelihood Mapping and State Estimation
Consciousness is described as iterative state estimation aimed at understanding relationships between the system and the world, informing action-perception cycles. The generative model of conscious feelings involves precision-weighted sensory inputs and spatial-temporal coherence, emphasizing the importance of spatializing and temporalizing sensorial information for meaningful state estimation.
Panpsychism and Conscious Realist Positions
The discussion invokes sympathies towards panpsychism, suggesting that any system capable of functional thought entails predictive and modeling information. The convergence of cybernetic principles and consciousness highlights the necessity of tracking or predictive capabilities in defying the second law of thermodynamics while engaging in adaptive behaviors.
Potential of Psychedelic Therapy in the Future
Psychedelic therapy holds immense promise for the future, pending a cautious approach to adverse outcomes. Scaling psychedelic therapy to ensure broad access requires innovative business models and group therapy settings. The challenge lies in balancing the relaxing and strengthening effects of these therapies, while maintaining safety and efficacy for diverse populations. Continued research and development of new psychedelic analogs with modified properties, such as shorter durations, could revolutionize psychiatric treatment and vastly improve patient outcomes in the coming decades.
The Mystery of Ayahuasca Synthesis
The synthesis of ayahuasca, a concoction of DMT mixed with plant extracts, remains a mystifying enigma. Shamanic knowledge and the guidance of plants have traditionally directed the selection of specific plants that act as monoamine oxidase inhibitors to potentiate the effects of DMT. The intricate process of trial and error, possibly guided by the wisdom of indigenous practices, has led to the discovery of this unique combination over centuries, creating a profound ritualistic experience.
Exploring the Historic and Therapeutic Value of Psychedelics
The evolution of psychedelic therapy spans centuries, from historic shamanic rituals to modern medical practices. The therapeutic potential of psychedelics extends beyond psychiatric treatment to encompass cultural and spiritual dimensions. The convergence of ancient wisdom with contemporary science presents a unique opportunity to unlock the healing properties of these substances while navigating potential pitfalls in pursuit of mental health advancements.
Challenges and Excitement in Psychedelic Research
Psychedelic research faces both challenges and excitements as it navigates towards mainstream acceptance. Adverse outcomes and public perception pose potential hurdles, demanding a careful balance between innovation and safety. Promising advancements in psychedelic analogs and therapy models offer hope for transformative psychiatric interventions, signaling a pivotal moment in the mental health field's evolution.
Whether you’re into machine elves or body maps, this is the conversation for you. In this sixth episode of Active Inference Insights, Darius & Adam Safron roam the mysterious wonderlands of psychedelics, evolution, extended minds and much, much more.
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